Working It Out
by Shade Penn
Summary: Midquel to Come And Get It. As Jack tries to adjust to being a Predacon and all it entails, the Autobots contend with a new threat from the ancient past...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello everyone, here we are for the bridge fic!**

 **Let's get this out of the way first. I will be for the time being quietly ignoring _certain parts_ of Predacons Rising to fit the title better. As such, while the bulk of the story is Jack's, keep in mind that the Cybertron scenes are important for the sequel, which I have as the working title either being 'Go Get What You Want' or 'Come As You Are.'**

* * *

Chapter 1

It had been two days since the Autobots (minus Ratchet) had gone back to Cybertron. Jack hadn't reflected much on it, since he embarrassingly spent the better part of those two days sleeping and regaining his energy.

He would rouse from his- and he'd get flustered every time he said it- _naps_ whenever his mother, Raf or Miko would drop in. His mother and Raf would say hello to Ratchet before talking to Jack, though when Miko stopped by it was always questioning Jack about his alt-mode and what kind of weapons he had. Jack played along for the most part, if only because he understood that on some level Miko was having a hard time accepting that Bulkhead was gone and using Jack as some sort of replacement.

Though he drew the line at letting her ride around on his back. It hadn't come up yet, but Jack knew Miko and it _would,_ and he was _sooo_ not letting her do that. Plus there always the fact Jack didn't _know_ if he had any weapons-he certainly didn't get the fire breath 'cause _that_ would have come in handy a few dozen times.

For the current moment, Miko was actually the last thing on his mind, as Jack eyed the jar he'd gotten from Knock Out warily. Accepting it still made him uneasy. "And…you're sure it's stabilized? No more anger issues?"

"None that you wouldn't already have." Ratchet retorted.

Jack snorted. "Then it's going to be really hard to tell if it works." Though honestly, that actually did scare him. That, and what _exactly_ does having 'stabilized' Predacon genes entail? Filled with trepidation, Jack knew there was only one way to be sure in the end. "But I suppose it's time to stop stalling."

"While this will help you, I would be concerned for your mental state if you _weren't_ uneasy about this." Ratchet said dryly.

Jack snorted, but didn't reply as the medic poured the contents into a syringe. He stilled though when the needle point was aimed for the energon vein in his neck. "And you're sure it has to be there? Can't we just crack open a plate on my arm or something?"

"As I have very little knowledge of Predacon anatomy, it wouldn't bode well if this went somewhere it wasn't supposed too." Ratchet explained. "And since this line intersects with every part of you, it will spread the stabilized Synth-En quicker-well, it _should_ anyway."

Jack's optics widened. _Oh great._ He gritted his denta, but nodded sharply and clenched his fists tightly. His shoulders tensed as the pinprick of something sharp pierced his vein; so much like when the shock chip was implanted-but he wasn't there anymore. This wasn't the Nemesis, and Ratchet wasn't Shockwave.

It kept him from lashing out, but Jack still felt incredibly uncomfortable as something _oozed_ into him, sliding through his energon line and he could feel it beginning to migrate to every part of him. Jack began to relax slowly as he tentatively opened his optics and glanced at Ratchet, who had stepped back. It wasn't exactly an unexpected precaution-who knew _what_ was going to happen and Jack shuddered just thinking about the raging mess he'd been right after his transformation.

"So…am I any different?" Jack questioned. "'Cause aside from getting an energy boost I-" he stopped abruptly, his optics going wide.

Ratchet frowned. "Jack?"

"Get back!" Jack snapped, his voice rough and he clutched his head. "Get _baaaacck!_ " he howled and in his rush to move, he fell onto his aft, shaking the building. That didn't stop Jack from scrambling back, pedes kicking at the ground and curled into the corner, claws digging into the wall and hunched in on himself.

"Jack, what happened? I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong." The medic said.

Jack only shook, his head pounding. "Can't-explain." He grounded out. "Everything- _burns."_ He shook as he realized that this _was_ familiar. "Happened-during-transformation." He wheezed and rested his head against the wall, spark constricting in his chest as every fiber of him felt like it was on _fire_. Sweet unconsciousness wouldn't come though, he was more durable now, and damn it if in that moment he wished he wasn't just so he could escape the pain.

Footsteps running through the halls rang painfully loud with Jack's sensitive hearing amplified by the pain, and he covered his audios instinctively. He knew it wouldn't work, but right now logic could take a back seat to getting through this without losing control of himself.

"What's wrong with him?" June's voice was worried and demanding.

"Don't get any closer." Ratchet said sharply. "He was very clear about that." His tone then softened. "I injected him with the stabilized Synth-En. He said it felt like his transformation; it must mean that his body is going through more changes to being a complete Predacon."

"And…what will those be?" June asked quietly, but Jack heard no reply from the medic. He could smell more people in the room, their earthy, human scent washing over the smell of metal and energon. Several distinct scents along with his mother's permeated through the room and Jack really wished that his friends weren't seeing him like this. _Though I suppose it's a miracle,_ Jack thought wryly, wincing as the fire still burned within, _that Miko isn't making a scene._

While Jack didn't know how long he'd been curled up or how much time had passed, just that when the haze of pain and torment began to fade away, he was relieved beyond all comprehension. _No wonder I woke up so pissed the first time._ Jack grimaced as he gritted his denta, feeling something poking on his lip. _Fangs, how come I didn't notice them befo-oh._

Jack vented deeply. Still, he was a giant wolf, so fangs should have been a given. He already _had_ the claws and tail. His joints and cables ached as he unfurled from himself, claws covered in concrete and two deep chunks of the wall had been carved out. _Whoops._

He glanced over his shoulder slowly, self-consciously noting all the faces gazing up at him. Some of the human personnel looked wary, his mother and Raf looked concerned, while others seemed just as amazed as Miko's gaze mirrored that particular expression.

"Whoa! You look even better than before!" she shouted.

Jack winced and glared at her. "Not so loud, my non-existent ears are still ringing."

His words snapped Ratchet out of whatever daze he'd been in, and the medic's expression was all-business. "Jack, how do you feel?"

"Aching." Jack said bluntly. "Though I think…it's because I haven't moved." He paused as it slowly dawned on him that aside from his mother, Raf and Miko, _none of these humans knew he was Jack_. And with apprehension gripping him, Jack realized that now they _did_. _Great, just great-maybe if I bang my head against the wall this will make me wake up._ Dark thoughts aside, Jack forced himself to say words he wished could be postponed. Still, better to get it over with than have the personnel freaking out by some misunderstanding.

"Call Fowler," Jack said hoarsely, "and tell him it's time to set up a meeting with the higher ups. I have some explaining to do."

"Fine, but it won't be _now."_ Ratchet replied. Jack scowled at him, but it was half-hearted as he was too tired to be mad. The medic looked down at the assembled humans. "I believe it's time for you all to leave. Jack needs his rest."

Much of the personnel left without a word, but others lingered to cast questioning looks over at Jack. Miko complained loudly as June herded her out, while Raf waved and said "Hope you feel better." Jack managed a small wave back, and replied "I hope so too." His mother only sent him a loving smile that made Jack's chest lighten as he smiled back at her.

When everyone was gone, and the room fell silent just like the first night, Jack vented again before looking down at himself. What he saw made him blink. Claws were still sharp, his protoform was still pale-but like some kind of film there was a faint blueness to his servos. "Whoa." He found the same not-quite-blue-paleness extending to the exposed parts of his torso and legs.

His armour colors had changed too. While before his plating was only black and silver, now his forearms, shoulders and shins had lightened from black to a deep purple, and his chest, shoulders, thighs and knees were dark blue. Offsetting this were yellow bio lights in the crevices of his shoulders, elbows and ankles. Jack peered over his shoulder, and saw his tail was the same not-quite-blue as his protoform.

Jack was surprised to see it had changed colors, as he was still trying to wrap his mind around not only having a tail, but about the…other things. Perhaps in time he could fully accept the whole 'I can get pregnant' thing, but as long as he never had to _use_ them he could for now safely put those thoughts to the back of his mind for later. Having spent his whole as a male it was an understandable shock to try and process.

It still didn't stop him from glancing down at his stomach though. Jack grimaced as he could see the faint white scaring that stood out from where Shockwave had cut him open. _If I do ever go back to Cybertron, bastard's gonna get it-for_ everything.

"I look…different." Jack muttered.

"They're still blue." The words were so sudden that Jack stiffened and looked at Ratchet, who now looked just as surprised he'd said it, but he narrowed his optics and continued, "Perhaps it was a basic necessity of your last-minute transformation, or the instability of the Synth-En being untreated so long, but you're optics have remained blue."

Jack blinked and put a servo on his cheek, just under his right optic. He felt his mouth quirk up. "I am stubborn, and I'd hate to give these up," he replied, and grinned teasingly at the medic, "since my eyes have always been one of my best features, so thanks for noticing."

Ratchet turned away dismissively. "It's merely strange that they _would_ be blue, nothing more."

Jack chuckled, but wincing from the ache in his throat was so worth it. Still, his brief light mood faded away as he remembered soon he'd have to recount what happened to him. Being completely honest would get everything out there, but it would let everyone know just how screwed up this was.

Especially about _why_ ; that was going to be the hardest part. This happened to him…because Knock Out had a crush on him.

Jack glared at the floor. Now he was starting to regret not at least slapping Knock Out for his selfishness.


	2. Chapter 2

It hadn't been explained in great detail, but once General Bryce arrived in the control room, all of Fowler's grumbling made sense. Jack had thought he'd be called to explain himself, but this worked just as fine.

The general glanced at Ratchet, who was looking thoroughly unimpressed as usual. About what, Jack stopped trying to guess. "Is your presence necessary, doctor?"

"Jack is still my patient, therefore I will remain here until I clear him." Ratchet retorted.

General Bryce rubbed his brow, and the camera man behind him was taking footage of Ratchet before setting it back on Jack-he wasn't sure how to feel about _that_. "You say you're Jackson Darby, the civilian that worked with the Autobots?" The man questioned, his expression skeptical. "How can anyone be sure of that?"

Jack scowled, but made no move one way or the other. As far as the humans had known, he _was_ just a Predacon turncoat. "I spent weeks on the Nemesis, thinking if everyday was my last, that after kidnapping me Knock Out would just get bored and kill me," he looked down at his body, "I am like this because I helped save Optimus once, and it left me with an...imprint that gave off readings like a Cybertronian.

"Shockwave convinced Megatron to turn me into a Predacon, and after I...escaped, I tracked down my mother because I could still smell her. I'll admit I didn't reunite with the Autobots under the best of circumstances, but that worked out alright." Jack's optics hardened. "As for your question, it doesn't really matter to me whether _you_ believe me-I know what I'm saying is the truth, that everyone I care about knows it's true."

"You do realize you're not making a convincing case." General Bryce pointed out.

Jack smiled, and it was perhaps the most chilling thing he'd ever done. "You think I'm scared of you? In my captivity alone I survived almost being Predacon chow, isolation, murder attempts by Decepticons who hate my guts, and being subjected to the whims of a sick fucker that was going to do a lot of horrific things to me. So tell me, what could you possibly do that beats all of _that?_ "

Jack snorted, and leaned against the wall when he heard nothing but silence. "Well? I'm waiting." he would have cared more about this matter, but he was just tired. _It did feel good to get it all out though._

General Bryce crossed his arms, frowning. "Realize this then, Jack Darby or not, you are under this country's jurisdiction. I assume you'll co-operate?" Jack nodded, rolling his optics. "Good, then from what you've told me you're long overdue for a visit from a psychologist."

Jack straightened up. "Are you serious? Do you just expect to pluck someone up and tell them about giant alien robots? Especially while Jasper is being rebuilt?"

"The town's construction is undergoing at a steady pace. And we have an on-site psychologist who is already informed about alien existence." The man replied. He glanced at Ratchet. "Do you agree your patient needs professional help?"

"Ratchet, I'm fine, I just talked, that's all I needed." Jack said, his tone a bit desperate.

And whatever wavering might have been in Ratchet's mind likely just became resolved. "While I highly doubt you could understand the situation Jack has been through-I too unfortuately lack the capability to help him. I can heal his body, but not his mind. Bring in your human psychologist."

"Ratchet..." Jack started, but stopped when the medic looked at him sternly.

"Merely _saying_ you are alright does not make it so. Do you honestly think I haven't heard that from anyone before?" he questioned.

Jack gritted his denta. While he wasn't thrilled with the idea of having to actually _talk more_ about what happened to him, how was he supposed to come to grips with it? Shockwave was still out there, and he'd like to be able to think about going to Cybertron without freaking out at the thought of him. _Or Knock Out for that matter._

Predaking was a...complicated matter. One which Jack could admit he needed help figuring out.

"Fine." Jack said grudgingly.

"We'll have the psychologist briefed by tomorrow. For now, you are restricted from leaving the premises." General Bryce said.

Jack glowered, but turned his head away until the man and his camera guy left. His shoulders slumped, frowning deeply. "What am I suppose to do now? I'm not like you, Ratch, I can't just spend all my time shut away."

The medic harrumphed. "You underestimate what time by yourself can bring. What happened to you on the Nemesis was not it." he explained. "How are your systems? Is there any residual pain from the serum?"

Jack shook his head. "No, I feel fine actually." he glanced down at his claws, and clenched his fists. _Mostly._ There was a part of him though which made him wish he could just wake up. He shook his head again. "Don't mind me though, just gonna stretch my T-cog."

"Be sure not to break anything." Ratchet said grumpily.

Jack smiled faintly and carefully got to his pedes. He'd shifted between bi-pedal and beast mode more on instinct, and it made him uneasy to draw on the memeory of his _conscious_ change. Jack closed his optics and focused on just the _feeling_ , not anything else in the scene. _Nothing else in this memory matters but how to transform._

Gears shifting rang in his audios, and Jack found himself closer to the floor. His larger wolf-like head looked down at his front paws, and then back at his haunches and swished his tail. He glanced up, but while he couldn't see his ears twitch, he certainly felt it.

Jack stepped forward, a bit unsteadily, and walked to the other side of the room. Conscious of himself now, Jack took in just how _different_ it was. His strides were shorter, but he got to the other wall quicker. He had nothing like extra armour, nor bulk so he was just as streamlined as in bi-pedal mode. His claws and fangs were probably going to be his only weapons. _Which still sucks._

Who knew though, maybe he just needed to try? Jack couldn't shrug, but he wanted too as he marched back over to his sleeping area. He opened his maw, and tried to make _something_ happen.

Unfortunately, the only thing which came out was a strangled noise between a cry and a cough.

"Jack, did you neglect to mention something about your systems?" Ratchet questioned.

Scowling, Jack glared at the wall. "No, just trying to see if I could breath fire."

"...what would be the purpose of that?"

Jack sighed. "I can scratch and claw, but it'd be nice to have some extra defence in case..." he trailed off. "In case I want to visit the other Autobots. Or, you know, Miko ropes me into going so she can try and sneak there with me."

Ratchet shuddered. "I doubt Cybertron could very well handle Miko just yet-or, ever, really." his expression turned serious. "As for your other worries...Jack, none of us would let Predaking _or_ Knock Out near you...nor let Shockwave harm you without doing what we could to stop him."

Jack stiffened at the one-optic mech's name, feeling fear as well as the flush of rage that followed it. Both emotions gave way to a warmth that settled within him. "I know," he remembered the glow of everyone being on the Nemesis' bridge when the battle was won, "and I appreciate it. Besides, I may want to go to Cybertron just so I can let Smokescreen give me that tour."

The medic grimaced as he turned back to the console. "Take as much time as you want to consider your options. Better yet, should you ever decide to go back to Cybertron, why not spend time someone else-someone less likely to lead you into trouble."

Jack snorted. _Everyone must think Smokescreen and I being together is a bad idea._ He froze when the thought sunk in and realized what happened, leading him to quickly amend the statement with, _Thinking us being_ around _each other is bad._

Taking his mind off thoughts he had no time right now for, Jack continued to think about what else a 'wolf' could do.

* * *

"Those wretched beasts are giving me a processor ache the size of the Rust Sea!" Rubbing his forehead, Starscream glared in the direction Darksteel and Skylynx went off to. They're evolution had been a rushed job, but then again it wasn't like they were anything more than gatherers. _Intelligence of any kind is wasted on such barbaric creatures-moronic oafs!_

His red optics took in the rest of the seven hyper evolution chambers dug up, two empty, four currently still housing growing Predacons and Shockwave stood in front of the last one about to 'hatch' so to speak. The scientist hadn't really been affected in one way or the other about the humiliating defeat on the Nemesis, which infuriated Starscream to no end.

 _No, he just goes right back to doing his mad experiments_ , he thought derisively, but unfortunately Starscream didn't have the resources to strike back against the Autobots just yet.

Hence having to rely on these wretched beasts.

The tube began to drain, and Shockwave stepped back as the eyes on the Predacon opened, glowing a bright yellow. The glass container slid down, allowing the creature to slink out. It wasn't nearly as tall as Predaking, but it's draconic form was taller than both Darksteel and Skylynx certainly. The plating was white and dark blue, with the Predacon insignia on its chest.

Serrated wings flicked, and Starscream sneered as the residual backwash almost landed on his pede. Wings flared, revealing disk launcher momentarily before folding against its back. The angular head, with a sharp beak tilted, and it leaned down to observe Shockwave, optics narrowed.

"I have created you, Skystalker, to fulfill a specific purpose." Shockwave's tone never changed, and he held up a vial of energon. "This is a sample I gathered from the true Predacon; designation: Ripclaw. Find his location, and subdue him."

The beast bowed its head, and sniffed at the vial. It screeched and charged for the exit, wings flapping on take off.

Starscream watched it go, but then turned an incredulous and _furious_ optic to Shockwave. "You cannot possibly think getting that wayward beast back has any merit. Or are you truly that obsessed with your work?"

"Knock Out was obsessed with Ripclaw, and so was Predaking," Shockwave said unerringly calm, "they lost sight and allowed their foolish emotions to cloud their judgement. I have not, and as such I ensured Skystalker will not either-he will complete his mission because that is all I conditioned into him."

"And you actually think you're not obsessed?" Starscream asked derisively. "You don't even know where your 'true Predacon' is; he could be with the Autobots, on that disgusting mudball, or somewhere else in the galaxy! You also can't expect the beast will go with your pet quietly."

"I do not forsee that." Shockwave admitted flatly.

It made Starscream falter. "Wait, what? Then what was the point of this?"

Shockwave didn't answer as he pulled up a file on the console. It held an image of Skystalker, while on the side was a tracking chip pinging back, but underneath that was a helix beside a steady line of glyph fed through the system. "Due to breeding control, I left all the Predacons being cloned sterile. Skystalker is the second exception I've made, and he merely needs to find Ripclaw to initiate what would have been Predaking's role."

Starscream scowled, wings flicking disdainfully. "While the thought of your beasts _mating_ is nothing short of repulsive, you won't actually _know_ when Skystalker has made Ripclaw conceive." he smirked, as though amused. "Nor do I think Ripclaw will simply let Skystalker rape him and may just kill your pet."

"Whether Skystalker survives the encounter is irrelevant," Shockwave said evenly, "he merely needs to stay inside of Ripclaw long enough to overload." he tapped the line of glyphs. "I installed nanites in Skystalker's transfluid that will send feedback when he impregnates Ripclaw."

"When?" Starscream repeated, huffing. "You weren't this sure about even Predaking doing the deed-what makes this time so different?"

"I previously lacked the knowledge to alter a Predacon's mental developement, but while Darksteel and Skylynx are meant to be nothing more than labourers, I inendated Skystalker with a conditioning that has made him intelligent and logical, to disregard emotions and complete his tasks without allowing such trivial matters to stand in his way."

Starscream raised an optic ridge. "In other words-he's you."

The scientist stared at him, his optic giving away nothing. "It is only logical. I am unable to search for Ripclaw myself, and ergo a proxy must be sent in my stead...to further my experiment."

Starscream sneered again. Logical. _Riiight._


	3. Chapter 3

Jack would have growled, but that felt _too_ much like some kind of dog. He glanced down at his wolf form, and it made him question just what kind of Predacon his body was turned into. _Well, a wolf, obviously_ , he thought sardonically. He reviewed what a wolf could do, but so far he was on the mark. _Teeth, claws, tail...howl?_

Jack narrowed his optics, and glanced at Ratchet, who was still working at the console. Seriously, what was he _doing?_ He sighed, but knew that if he tried a howl it could get him a 'knock off that noise'. He snickered at the thought, especially since he wasn't sure if his foggy memories were correct about Ratchet telling Miko to turn off her music.

Would have been funny though.

Awkwardly shrugging in his wolf form, Jack inhaled deeply, and drew from his memories of the howls he'd heard out from the desert. " _AAAAHHHH!"_ Jack immediately cringed. That was _not_ a howl-it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"Jack!" Ratchet admonished, but jerked back when the lights went out, and a heavy crash followed.

Optics widening, Jack transformed and blinked as he found his sight turned to night vision-huh, well that was useful. He noticed Ratchet lying on his back, and rushed over to his side. "Ratch, are you okay?"

It looked difficult to do, but Ratchet scowled up at him. "I am lying on the floor, something apparently caused by your screeching-so no, I am _not_ fine."

"Ouch, that hurts." Jack tried to joke, but Ratchet glared at him. The Predacon vented. "Okay, kinda stupid when I think about it, but hey, I can take out tech!"

"Lying. On the floor. Help me up." Ratchet grounded out.

"Right, right." Jack muttered, and as he lifted the medic up under his arms, footsteps raced into the room and a flashlight shined on him, letting him see his mother and Fowler had both run in. "Uh, hey?"

"Jack, are you alright? What was that sound?!" June breathed out, her voice heavy and panicked.

Jack felt his helm fins twitch in shame. "That...that was me." he muttered, and steadied Ratchet on his pedes but didn't let go of him. "I-er, tried to find out what I could do, and I guess my howl can shut down tech." he smiled sheepishly. "Oops."

Fowler let out a groan. "Well thanks to your little EMP blast it's gonna take at least a few hours before the power comes back on." he threw his hands up in the air. "Who knows if that's even a rough guess, given your new state!"

Jack's fins flicked, wincing. "I'm sorry, okay?! I just didn't want to keep feeling useless just stuck in here." his voice died down, and he frowned at the ground. "I didn't know _this_ is what would happen."

"Though it does bring up interesting observations." Ratchet said. "Given your predatory form, having some kind of offensive attack to subdue... _prey_ ," he grimaced at the word in disgust, "would have ensured your survival."

"Yeah, this doesn't make me feel better." Jack said flatly. "This is just the universe laughing at me again; hey, turns out I can do something cool-too bad I use it and take everyone near me down in an instant." he grumbled.

"It could provide an escape." June said.

Jack sighed. "Only if it's a bunch of enemies."

"Perhaps it could be more centered into a head-on attack." Ratchet said. "Preferably not in here, where _very_ sensitive equipment could be damaged. Cybertron might be restored, but I am uncertain it would have spontaneously sprouted new innovations."

"So I'm still stuck," Jack rolled his optics, "kind of figured that." he looked down at his mother and Fowler, shrinking in on himself. "Again, I'm _really_ sorry about this. I thought at most I'd just knock down the wall."

"Wish that's what would have happened too." Fowler grumbled. "Less of a headache for everyone." he shook his head, and headed for the door. "Don't," he paused awkwardly, "go anywhere," he continued dryly. "I gotta let the higher ups know we're not under attack."

Jack vented heavily once more. "I can already imagine the dirty looks I'll be sent." he shook his head, and caught his mother crossing her arms. "Something the matter?"

"I know this isn't the time, but I'm happy to see you're...livier would be the right word, I suppose." June said, smiling tentatively.

Jack's spark constricted. It never escaped his attention that he'd been gone for what felt like _years_ , and he smiled shakily back at his mother. "I kinda got bad news too; our house is still on the Nemesis-Knock Out used it as a dollhouse for me."

June's smile froze. "Well...it's just a house. It can be replaced." she walked forward and patted Jack's leg. "I'll see you later, honey."

"Yeah, see ya." Jack called back, and once more the room was dark. Though that did _not_ mean he couldn't feel the weight still in his arms. "So, Ratch, where do you wanna sit until the EMP fades? The wall's actually kind of nice once you get used to it."

* * *

He didn't know how to describe Ripclaw's scent; it was a immensely pleasant aroma, one which made him fly just a bit quicker as he thought of his ultimate objective with the true Predacon. When the scent grew stronger the more into the ruined city, it made his energon run wild. Was Ripclaw still on planet? It was highly unlikely, but he didn't discount the idea-it would certainly be easier if he were.

That still left him with how to get the Autobots out of the way. A distraction would be optimal, divert their attention to another part of the ship while he snuck aboard in the chaos to find Ripclaw's location.

His optics glanced up, finding the Nemesis from Shockwave's files; it was situated over a decrepit building, and the scent from Ripclaw wafted more strongly from it. If he was not on the ship, he'd been on it for a while.

His wing twitched, and he picked up the grumbling beneath him, a ruckus of sounds and escalating bickering. He silently swooped down, his optics narrowing as he found _those two_ , the rushed jobs. Skystalker neared the ground behind them, and as he touched down, he transformed into root mode-a bit of a foregone conclusion Shockwave set within them, now that he knew it was possible.

Both of his...brethren whirled around, but while Skylynx just stared at him, Darksteel grinned. "Hey, you're finally done cooking!"

"Incubating." Skystalker paused, taking a moment to savor the sound of his own voice. It was deep, cool, and even-it reminded him of Shockwave's voice. He wondered if Ripclaw would enjoy it as well.

"Did they send you out to gather up rusted useless things too?" Skylynx asked drolly.

 _No, what a waste of my time that would be_ , it was at the tip of his glossa, a surely appropriate answer to such a stupid question. He reined it back though, because cause and effect dictated if he insulted them they wouldn't follow his orders as readily. "No, my mission is to retrieve Ripclaw. I followed his scent here and believe he is on the Autobot occupied ship...the one floating above us." he added, his patience wearing thin when he noted the lack of recognition on their faces. _Rush job indeed._

"Sucks to be you then." Darksteel retorted, but Skylynx narrowed his optics.

"Why are you telling us? Why are you _talking_ to us?" he asked morosely. "Shouldn't you be doing your job too?"

 _Perhaps this one isn't_ as _stupid_ , Skystalker thought, but the lack of realization on their part made him embarassed all the same. "I will do...everything," he kept back the delighted shudder for when he found Ripclaw and accomplished his task, "in my ability to get Ripclaw, but I need some assistance."

"Really? What kind?" Darksteel asked.

"It's an important part-I need you both to lure out the Autobots and keep them occupied for as long as possible."

Instead of agreeing immediately, or even appearing to think it over-both Skylynx and Darksteel began to walk _away_ from him.

"Where are you two going?" Skystalker demanded.

Darksteel snorted. "I'm up for a fight, but ol' Screechy told us to stay hidden. Don't feel like getting hit with a pipe again."

Skystalker stared at them, optics growing wide. They narrowed a moment later, fists clenching. "Surely you both realize how vital my mission is to Shockwave, do you not?"

"Yes, still don't care-it's _your_ mission." Skylynx snapped back. "Ours is to gather beams and bones; you're on your own."

 _I must-not-lose-my-temper-ahh-"Ahhh!"_ Skystalker screeched, lunging forward and in one fluid motion he was back in beast mode. He barrelled into Skylynx, front claws digging into the other as he pressed him into the ground. _Submit, submit, submit_ , he chanted as he felt the smaller Predacon trying to claw his way from him.

A snap to the side made his head whip around, optics narrowed when he saw the front of Darksteel's beast mode flare, the orange veins growing brighter as a spark began to ignite at the back of his throat. Skystalker reared back his own head, and the rush of cold burst forth from his mouth in a blaze of frost to meet the flame Darksteel spewed at him.

Both blasts were at even standing for a moment, but Skystalker growled when he noticed the fire overpowering his ice. He narrowed his optics further, plans racing through his processor before he gripped Skylynx tightly with one claw, the other planted firmly on the ground.

Skystalker sprung, leaping to the side as his ice dissipated and the flame narrowly missed him. The heat reverberated on his plating, but he focused on the weight in his claws and hurled Skylynx at Darksteel, catching the latter offguard and careening them both onto the ground.

Without wasting a second, Skystalker pounced on both, gripping both by the back of their helms and smashing them together. The force made Skylynx dazed, but had the intended reaction of forcing Darksteel back to root mode.

Skystalker snarled at them, and a rush of pleasure followed at their terrified expressions. He transformed back into root mode as well, and loomed over them. "I don't believe I made myself clear," he said with an even tone, belying the anger seeping into how he grabbed the two Predacons by their necks, claws wrapped tight, "you two _will_ help me. As your superior, as your _alpha_ , do I make myself clear?"

Darksteel nodded rapidly, optics squeezed shut while Skylynx croaked out a ragged "Yes." Both vented deeply in relief when Skystalker finally released them, standing up straight with a slight smirk on his face.

"Excellent, I knew you would see it my way. Now, here's what I want you to do..."


	4. Chapter 4

The knocking was incessant, and Knock Out longed for the time when he was the only one in the prison room. Vehicons stragglers that kept to the Decepticon side were thrown in this jail with him, and he found there were not as many as he thought. It seemed some Vehicons' heel-turn were better recieved than his.

Not surprising, given what happened.

He would have started knocking on the walls too, just to get _someone's_ attention and try to get a buffer for his finish. Again, doubtful, especially if they found Jack's house. That would have just pissed them off more. His optics narrowed thoughtfully; he knew he had no right to ask, but he was curious as to how Jack was faring.

No one would tell him anything-he didn't need to ask to know that. Knock Out still got dirty looks from Arcee when it was her turn to check on the prisoners. It made him wonder what they were going to do with him; would they execute him?

The sharp grip of fear clutched his spark, painful and unyielding. He didn't want to die; he didn't know if the delay was due to the clean-up of Cybertron, or traking down the rest of the stragglers, but he really wasn't in the mood to find out.

A loud crash echoed from the front of the ship, and the reverberation had the room shaking as Knock Out was thrown back against the wall.

"What the scrap was that?!" he yelled, and clanged his wrists on the wall. "Hello? Autobots? What's going on out there!" his pedes were destablelized as another crash echoed again and the aftershock sent him crashing face first into the wall this time. He scowled and rubbed his face. "This is not good for my finish!"

A smaller _thump_ hit the floor underneath him, and his audios picked up a faint hissing. Knock Out's optics widened as the metal began to grow cold, so cold that the floor began to _crack_. Quickly, the red mech got off the growing patch of brittle plating-when not a moment later a large claw _punched through the floor._

Knock Out's spark seized, memories of seeing a newly transformed Jack throwing Predaking out of his kennel. The claw that gripped the edge of the new hole in the floor reminded him of Predaking, but the coloring was off. His spark seized for another reason. _Oh scrap, Shockwave, you didn't! Frag, what's the point of cloning more Predacons when the one you want isn't here?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the growl that tore through the air, screeching metal overtaken by the laser fire that erupted outside, roars and screeches mixed in. What the frag was going on out there? No, why the pit was this Predacon trying to get _in?_

Another claw joined the first, tearing the floor open enough for a body to fit through. Knock Out's vents closed, spark pulsing as the claws disappeared, but he didn't relax.

He was right to be worried. In a swift movement, a large dark blue and white shape jumped up through the hole, and even if the mech weren't Predaking's height, he still stood several feet taller than Knock Out.

Two sharp yellow optics surveyed the room, and narrowed as a scowl crossed the lips. "I find Ripclaw's scent, but no sign of him-just a bunch of degenerates." he said, disgust clear in his voice.

Knock Out was offended _and_ terrified. Shockwave had done it after all; he made more Predacons. Why? What did Jack- No, Knock Out had his answer. He'd spent much of his time being bitter over it, after all. _Is Shockwave still thinking of using Jack as a Well? He can't be that fragging delusional._

Then again, this slagging Predacon was here. Looking for Jack.

Knock Out hadn't liked Predaking sniffing around the wolf Predacon, and something raw and angry welled up inside his spark. No one could say he was selfless; the red mech knew he was a selfish bot, and he didn't like the idea of yet _another_ mech wanting Jack.

Even if Jack hated him, Knock Out still liked him alot.

The medic got to his pedes, and it drew the blue Predacon's attention. He kept his voice calm, with a trace of his usual cockiness. "I know where Ripclaw is."

The Predacon sneered at him, optics narrowed dubiously as he took in the energon rope around his wrists. "I highly doubt that."

"It's true." Knock Out said insistently, trying to block out everything but getting the Predacon to listen to him. "Ripclaw isn't here; he was, but...well..." he trailed off coyly, as though unsure of whether to continue. "You see, he's with Predaking."

Within a moment, the Predacon went from skeptical to incensed, lip plates pulled into a scowl. "You lie, Predaking's dead."

Knock Out wasn't sure, since he didn't know _what_ happened during that fight between Predaking and Megatron, but it was clear from the Predacon's body language that _he_ didn't know either. "No, he's not." Knock Out retorted. "Predaking is Ripclaw's mate...they were made for each other," disgust filled him as he had to keep from spitting the words out, "so why wouldn't they be together?"

"That's not true." The Predacon hissed, optics glowing brighter. "Predaking had his chance. It's my turn, _I'm_ supposed to be the one who gets to impregnate Ripclaw." The anger burned away, something cold and calculating replacing the fire in his optics. "This cannot be allowed." his voice was icy, monotone.

Disgust churned Knock Out's tank, incredulty mixing in. Was it just him, or did this Predacon sound like Shockwave? _I don't know what that cyclops has done is worse now-making more Predacons or making a copy of himself._

"I will not fail," the Predacon continued, "I must find them and complete my mission."

Knock Out's spark quickened when the Predacon grabbed him by the arm, and began to drag him to the hole in the floor. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" he struggled to pull himself free, but it was useless.

The Predacon didn't pause in his strides. "It's quite simple. I'm taking you with me; you're either telling the truth, in which case you get to live." His optics narrowed into a frigid stare. "Or you're lying, and I'll kill you."

Only one thought went through Knock Out's processor: _scrap._

* * *

The beasts were restless. Starscream stared at the remaining hyper-evolution chambers, but the one which took his immediate attention were the two Predacons that began to _move_. They were going to hatch, but Shockwave was frustratingly unconcerned. _He should be, who knows how controllable these abominations really are._

He wanted to snort; Shockwave didn't have as much grip on the situation as he made it seem. The scientist was still blind to how truly pulled into his work he'd become.

Starscream might have difficulty seperating his personal feelings from his professional work, but he wasn't going to _discard_ his emotions. That road led to here; being so detached that one forgets there's even a line in the first place. Much as it disgusted him, he was bored and just wanted someone to irritate. "You're beasts are hatching."

"Incubating." Shockwave replied without looking away from his console.

Starscream rolled his optics, but his gaze was locked once more on the two tubes just as warily. "So what did you give these two? A brain or muscle?" he paused, but it was more out of revulsion for the next dig. "Or perhaps a functional reproductive system with which they can frag Ripclaw on your behalf too?"

Shockwave became still, but his voice remained as flat as ever. "No, I have denied them that mission." Denied, like it was an _honor_ ; Starscream wanted to purge. "Should Skystalker fail completely, I will simply recalibrate and begin anew with a more adept hunter."

"Yes, because why would someone you call Skystalker fail? It's right there in his name." Starscream drawled, smirking sardonically.

Shockwave didn't deign to reply. His servo merely continued to type at the console, but Starscream narrowed his optics when he saw the vial of Ripclaw's energon implanted on a socket in the device, and the corresponding data about the contents of the energon CNA. It was still relatively unstable, given the creature had been pushed over the edge with unperfected Synth-En.

It was the other vial of energon which gave Starscream pause. It had no name other than 'Donor' as a signifyer that this wasn't Predaking's energon. They would have been compatible regardless. This-this was-

"Are you actually still trying to make Ripclaw a Well?" Starscream asked incredulously. "Cybertron is restored, there's no reason for that vile plan anymore. Honestly, I can't believe Megatron would have allowed that wretched Predacon to have our sparklings in the first place."

"There is no need to put an end to this line of pursuit. Cybertron is indeed restored, but there is still valuable scientific knowledge to be gained from a Predacon-Cybertronian coupling." Shockwave explained.

Starscream narrowed his optics suspiciously. "And is the Cybertronian in question you?" he asked bluntly.

The scientist paused, his attenae twitching for a barely discernable moment. "The donor sample is not mine."

Starscream frowned. "That's not what I asked."

"The Predacons are finished incubating." Shockwave said, and made his way over to the two tubes that were beginning to drain of the green-brown fluid.

"Shockwave, what are you planning?" Starscream demanded, but the flap of wings drew his attention to the entrance, where Darksteel and Skylynx were returning, empty-handed. "And where are the items you were supposed to retrieve?"

Darksteel transformed into root mode, optics bright as a grin stretched across his lips. "Forgot." he said flippantly. "But it was awesome out there, Screechy. We gave those Autobots a thrashing, got one of them good!"

Starscream's processor began to throb, an ache forming in the back of his head. _Idiots, I'm surrounded by idiots._

* * *

 **A/N: Hi there, I appreciate your reviews, and I decided to leave this for the end than the start, because I didn't want to take up too much.**

 **So, I'm interested in doing more 'side stories' for the Come And Get It 'verse, and I would like to know if anyone's interested in a particular scenario. Good, bad, horrifying, though those last two are rather interchangable**.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack paced, in bot mode and some times beast mode, around the control room. He could feel the gazes of his mother, Miko and Raf on him, but he found his own straying to the space bridge. His optics glanced at the console, almost willing it to beep, to signal that things on Cybertron were _okay_.

"Jack," June began, "I'm sure things will be fine."

The wolf Predacon heard the underlining doubt in her voice, but he didn't blame her for trying to be reassuring. Jack was agitated enough, the memory of Optimus' heavy gaze and weary voice ringing in his audios.

 _"We were under attack, and heavy damage has been sustained. I fear Ultra Magnus is in critical condition, and the rest of us need aid as well. I'm sorry to intrude so soon after we left, but we need you here, Ratchet."_

Jack wanted to go with the medic, but Ratchet gave him a stern glare and it made Jack calm down a little. Just a bit, because he didn't miss how Optimus left out _what_ attacked them, or how much 'heavy damage' amounted too, and certainly not who else got hurt. Was Arcee okay? Jack finally looked over at Miko and Raf and saw the same concern in their eyes for their own partners.

Miko was more upfront about what she thought this waiting amounted too. "This is bunk!" she crossed her arms and scowled. "How come we can't just fire up the space bridge and go check on them?"

"We wouldn't know what to do." Raf said quietly. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "We don't even know what happened."

"They'll call when everything's...settled down," June said delicately, "they wouldn't leave you worrying."

"They better not." Miko kicked the scuff of her shoe defiantly on the catwalk floor. She still eyed the space bridge though, and Jack was actually worried she'd try and get the space bridge working when he wasn't looking.

That definitely couldn't be allowed to happen, and in a bid to distract himself as well, Jack grasped at something to say. "How are things in the real world?"

Miko made a mocking sound. "You'd think given all the scrap that happened things would be different, but _nooo_ , everything's just as boring as before. The only difference is both my parents are here to make it unbearable."

A surprised jolt ran down Jack's spine, and as he was in root mode he placed a servo on the console to steady himself. "Your parents? As in your real parents?"

Miko rolled her eyes. "Of course I mean my real parents." Slowly, she grinned. "Though it was totally worth seeing their faces when Fowler explained to them about the Autobots."

Jack stared at her with wide optics. "Are you serious? Fowler just straight up told your parents that alien robots exist?"

Miko nodded, and jerked her thumb at Raf. "His too. Apparently the higher ups or whatever couldn't afford our 'rents asking questions or trying to dig into about the town being evacuated because of an 'earthquake'."

"They said it was an earthquake?" Jack repeated incredulously. "Did no one seriously see the giant fortress that sprang up?"

Raf coughed into his palm. "I think people were too busy being evacuated from the town to question it. My own parents didn't," he rubbed his arm, "and I thought my mom wasn't going to let me go when she saw I found her and Dad."

"That's nothing, she's as bad as Helicopter Mom, since she won't let you come see Jack without scheduling it like you're at a playdate." Miko said derisively.

Jack scowled at Miko. "Do you still have my mom call that? Especially when she's standing right beside you?"

Miko didn't look bothered as June crossed her arms sternly. "I'll stop calling you that when it stops being true."

"So how have you been, Jack?" Raf spoke up quickly, his voice raising an octave.

"I'm...doing okay. Just taking things one day at a time." Jack shrugged. Uncomfortably he tapped his digits on the computer under his servo. "Fowler said a shrink's coming by to talk to me. I still don't think it's going to help much, how can a human perception comprehend what I went through?"

"Jack," June started, her voice warm and motherly, "there's no reason to be ashamed of getting help. I know it might seem difficult at first, but this might be what you need to heal."

"Yeah, and once you get better you can go back to Cybertron to find Shockwave and kick his aft!" Miko yelled, her fist pumping into the air.

Jack flinched, digits curling into a fist as a fury simmered at the name, but his spark pulsed in fear. "Don't say his name." he said quietly, but a hard edge underlined it. "If I ever go back to Cybertron, it won't be because of him."

Miko frowned, her brow creasing. "Don't you wanna pay him back for doing this to you?"

Jack briefly wondered if it had been a good idea to tell Miko and Raf that Shockwave arranged for him to be made into a Predacon, but shook his head. Too late to dwell on it; someone would have slipped up eventually, but he didn't think it would have been more uncomfortable than his mother learning about _everything_ Shockwave planned to do anyway.

"I do," Jack said eventually, "and I would love nothing more than to kick him so hard he'd go flying straight into the sun-but I'm not ready yet. I'm still too angry, to-too _scared_." his voice lowered. "I don't ever want to give him a chance to catch me."

June breathed in slowly, her expression pained. Even Miko didn't have anything to say.

Raf though offered a timid smile. "There's always a chance the Autobots will capture him. Then you won't have to worry."

Despite himself, Jack found himself returning the smile, albeit more bitterly than intended. "Trust me; every part of me is wishing more than anything for the next transmission from the Autobots to be 'we caught Shockwave, you don't have to worry anymore'."

* * *

"You-" _twack_ \- "morons!" _twack!_ Starscream scowled as he glared at Darksteel and Skylynx, both holding their helms. Serves them right. He was prepared to hit them with the pipe again, but Shockwave jerked it out of his grasp and he turned his glare on him. "Don't think I still don't have questions for you."

Shockwave remained unfazed, his gaze locked on the two wincing Predacons. "You are both to return to your kennel. Leave."

Darksteel grumbled, while Skylynx glanced at the two tubes now drained of fluid, the Predacons inside beginning to shake and move more violently. Skylynx shoved the other Predacon, likely in a hurry to get out of the room, but Starscream didn't care beyond how incompetent they were.

"One job, they had one _fragging_ job." he hissed. He crossed his arms as he watched Shockwave turn back towards his newest abominations as the glass lifted and the two forms slid out.

One landed awkwardly on their pedes, the frame set in that of an ursagryph, a dark gray base coat, but around the pedes, knees, chest, shoulders and around the yellow optics the gray brightened to green, and the torso, claws and helm lightened to a teal. There was a strange black attachment on its back, but Starscream ignored it as his gaze turned to the second beast.

It practically _oozed_ out of its tube, the movement slick and slippery. It was unnatural, and so was the intense stare it gave everything. It was a more streamlined draconic beast, with thin yellow wings ribbed in bright green, and a yellow tail that ended in a three-pointed claw swished behind it. There were light purple markings on the helm and legs, but the predominent color was that sickening green.

Starscream gave them a critical side-eye. "And what is their function?"

"Grimwing," Shockwave indicated the ursagryph, who looked at him with a tilted helm, "was modified to be more articulate and assist with scientific research."

Starscream sneered. "So your pet is a glorified lap dog." 'Grimwing' stiffened, optics narrowing as though it understood him. "What about the other one?"

"Circuit is to be in charge," Shockwave replied, and the dragon seemed to perk up, red optics so dark they were almost purple-it reminded Starscream too much of dark energon, "as with Predaking gone there needs to be an Alpha to control the pack. I have equipped her with several advantages that will ensure her dominance over the others."

Starscream narrowed his optics at 'Circuit.' "She's scrawnier than Predaking, did you leave something out, Shockwave? Or have you lost your touch?" he chuckled derisively, but like an earth snake striking, Circuit's tail twisted and the clawed end pierced his shoulder.

It was only for a brief moment, but Starscream's vents worked overtime as energon flowed through him. He collapsed to his knees as his form bent, digits grasping at his shoulder. It registered slowly that no energon was leaking out, but his systems clearly noted a loss of it.

"What has she done to me?" Starscream demanded.

"Circuit used her siphon claw on you," Shockwave explained calmly, "I modified it from the Terrorcon's energon suction from notes taken during the incident on the Nemesis. She only needs to scratch the surface to release a venom that causes the body to believe it's lost energon. It will leave the target sluggish and easier to keep in line."

"Who's going to keep _her_ in line?" Starscream demanded. "She just attacked me!"

"You insinuated I have lost my capacity for scientific endeavours, therefore she acted to adjust your perception." Shockwave replied.

Starscream grimaced, and he wondered how long the scientist had been waiting to get him back for trying to make him perish along with the Predacon clones on Earth. _She's his guard dog_ , he thought morosely. "Is she going to attack me every time I insult you?"

Shockwave actually paused, and he looked at Circuit. "Starscream cannot help his fervent need to spill vitriol; you will not be punished for this one time, but do not attack him again."

Circuit made a strange crooning noise, and she bowed her head briefly. Her optics locked onto Starscream with an intense disdain. Behind her, Grimwing was silent and seemed to be taking everything in.

Frankly, Starscream wasn't sure which was creepier.


	6. Chapter 6

Knock Out glared at the Predacon as he was tossed onto the ground. His finish was taking damage, scuffing into unseemly grime patches from the fibers kicked up. He got to his pedes as the Predacon landed, transforming into his root mode. "If you're going to treat me so shoddily I should get your name first."

"That is none of your concern." The Predacon retorted.

 _Since I don't expect you to live long._ Knock Out didn't need to know that's what ran through the creature's mind. It really did have to be created yesterday if the Predacon didn't think for a second Knock Out wasn't trying to devise a way out of this.

First though, he needed to get it as far from the Nemesis-and the space bridge which led to Jack-as possible.

 _Here I am risking my own plating and Jack would probably still hate me,_ Knock Out thought despondently, but senseless griping wouldn't get anything done. And while he didn't like to admit it, he likely deserved Jack's hatred.

"How do you expect Ripclaw to go with you? I don't think he's going to leave Predaking." Knock Out said, grimacing when the Predacon grabbed his arm again and dragged him along. "Hey, watch the finish!"

The creature ignored him, optics focused straight ahead. "While the optimal objective of my mission is to bring Ripclaw back to Shockwave, should that be impossible I am to forgoe such and complete the reason for my objective."

"To knock Ripclaw up." Knock Out muttered. "Which I doubt will happen since even Predaking couldn't."

Too late did Knock Out realize just _what_ he said. The grip on his arm tightened and he knew the Predacon heard the slip as well.

"What was that?" The Predacon asked quietly, optics narrowing at him.

Knock Out clenched his fists together, and he only had a split second to decide his next course of action. Getting torn to bits was something he'd like to forstall. With a grunt, Knock Out jerked his servos forward and jabbed at the a seam between the creature's shoulder and the arm holding him.

The Predacon screeched as energon bled out and the grip slackened as he reached up to stop the leaking.

Knock Out didn't waste a second in running away. He struggled to twist and tear the binds around his wrists off, and his pace only picked up as the draconic roar rang out behind him. "Come on, come on!" he growled, so intent on getting the rope off that he failed to notice the slope until his pede went forward-and he went straight down.

" _Scraaap!_ " Knock Out tumbled on the edge, grunting as he rolled down the hill. Each bump and scratch against his plating was like a screech it of itself. When he finally came to a stop at the bottom of the ledge, his expression twisted, aghast at the marring on his plating and the dust that clung to his joints. "My finish!" he claws went to his faceplate, grimacing as he felt the groves and tears along his cheeks and forehead. "My face!"

Another roar rang out, closer and menacing.

"Right, priorities." Knock Out reminded himself. He scrambled to his pedes as he looked over his shoulder at the desolate landscape, nothing but spires jutting out of the ground and debris too small to hide behind. If that even even mattered, since the Predacon likely had his scent memorized by now.

Looking back towards the hill, Knock Out found several caverns etched into the ledge. Two weren't enough for him to get through, so that left him taking a chance on the largest one. Hopefully it had a lot of twists and turns that would confuse the Predacon long enough for him to escape back out.

Knock Out leaned against the cave wall and felt the thrumming under his digits before he spotted several small blue crystals sticking out of the ceiling. _Maybe the Predacon could be sated with energon crystals?_ He couldn't dwell on it as he went deeper into the cave, but a trail on the ground caught his attention. "What the..." he trailed off, his spark twisting as he found himself staring at a trail of _energon_.

Someone else was here.

"Scrap." He muttered.

A deep grumble came from ahead of him, and out of the shadows a large humanoid figure approached. Knock Out's optics widended as Predaking scowled down at him, recognition in his optics making them burn almost red.

" _You."_

Knock Out stepped back, chuckling weakly as he attempted to play off how much he did _not_ want to be here now. "Predaking, what a surprise. To see you, you know, alive."

Predaking's optics narrowed. "Yes, I survived my fight with Megatron. I see you also continue to function." he looked equally as displeased by this turn of events. His lip began to curl up. "Tell me, why should I not strike you where you stand?"

"Look, I know we've had our differences, but now's not the time to kill me." Knock Out hurried to say, because he knew the other Predacon was lurking somewhere outside. "I think you _would_ be interested to know that Shockwave's still around and he made more Predacons-"

Predaking's optics flared, surprise flashing across his face. "What?" his features tightened. "How I do know if you're not lying?"

Before Knock Out replied, a screech came from outside, and he shrugged. "There's your proof right there. Though I wouldn't get excited because-hey!" he shouted when Predaking strided right by him, and the red mech followed because this could not happen. "He's not interested in being buddy-buddy," he called, but Predaking still ignored him. _Of all the times for him-_ "he just wants to frag Jack!"

 _That_ got Predaking's attention, and he looked back at him sharply. "What did you say?"

Knock Out didn't get a chance to reply as another figure landed on the ground in root mode, and he flinched back as the blue and white Predacon levelled a steely gaze at them.

Predaking looked back at the other Predacon, grimness tempering whatever euphoria he'd felt. "Brother, tell me what this cretin says isn't true. Surely you know Jack isn't for us; it took me much time, but I came to understand that trying to force Jack's love wasn't right."

The other Predacon narrowed his optics. "Love is illogical." he said coldly. "I know no Jack, only Ripclaw. I see now you have grown soft and weak to have so foolishly given up the chance Shockwave gave you to claim Ripclaw." his chin jerked up. "You are no king of mine."

With that, the Predacon transformed and the disc launchers on his wings flashed before the wings flared. Two discs were launched from the force, and Knock Out stumbled back the collision slammed into Predaking and a bright flash engulfed the cave.

The red mech's optics needed to be reset for them to adjust and get the bright spots out of his vision. He blinked as he found the force of the blast had knocked Predaking onto the ground. Knock Out glanced at the empty entrance, with the other Predacon having left to who-knows-where.

The medic glanced down at the dazed mech, but he took no more than one step before Predaking grabbed his ankle and pulled, causing Knock Out to fall face-first into the dirt.

The red mech groaned as Predaking shakily got to his pedes, scowling down at him. "You still wanna kill me?"

Predaking narrowed his optics. "Tell me what is going on and I'll reconsider it."

Knock Out vented deeply. "Then you'd better sit tight, because there's lot of slag to get through."

* * *

As far as first impressions went, Jack thought things were...well, okay might not be a strong enough word. Dr. Melody Keen, as Fowler introduced the woman before he left, was staring up at him. She was clearly trying to rein in a stronger reaction, from the pressed line of her lips but her wide eyes gave her away.

"Shocking, I know." Jack said lightly, but the woman sucked in a sharp breath, and he seriously worried she might faint.

As if hearing this, Dr. Keen coughed into her hand and straightened up. She held the briefcase in her grip tighter though. "Excuse my unprofessional staring. I know you've been through a lot and you certainly wouldn't like anymore of it."

Jack eyed her critically, but nodded slightly. "How much did they tell you though?"

Dr. Keen frowned lightly as she made her way up the catwalk. "Only what I assume were the bare facts. You were human, but a Decepticon experiment caused you to be, well, the way you are and you suffered psychological trauma in captivity."

"How nice it is to hear it summed up." Jack couldn't keep the bite out of his voice, but he vented to keep himself calm. "Sorry, I shouldn't be angry at you. You're only doing your job."

"If it makes you feel any better, my job also includes confidentiality that no one may breech without your consent." Dr. Keen reassured him. "I will not make you talk, but I would like to ask you some questions. Is this okay with you?"

Jack blinked, a bit dazed as he nodded. He found she had a nice, soothing voice. "Sure, I guess so."

"Okay," Dr. Keen pulled a clipboard out of her briefcase and clicked her pen, "how old are you, Jack?"

The question threw him for a loop, because Jack realized he needed to _think_ about it. _Let's see, it's...it's August._ With a chill, Jack realized his birthday had passed while he was in captivity. "I'm eighteen." he whispered hoarsely. "I turned eighteen last month."

Dr. Keen's pen scratched against the paper, but she quickly charged on. "And how does it feel to be back home?"

"On earth." Jack corrected sharply, but winced. That wasn't what she asked. "I mean, my actual home is gone, but I'm relieved to be back with my mom. I know she's been worried, and I was worried about her too. I thought I'd never see-" he clammed up, and said no more.

Dr. Keen only nodded in understanding. "Alright, we don't have to go down that path today." she said calmly. "What about your friends? Do you have any friends?"

Jack frowned thoughtfully, truly finding himself drawing a blank. "Only Miko and Raf. I was never really Mister Popularity at my school, and I don't think I'd even have them as friends if it weren't for the Autobots."

"And what about the Autobots?" Dr. Keen asked abruptly. "Are you comfortable talking about them?"

A bit thrown, Jack nodded faintly. "There's Ratchet; he left before you got here, but he's been like a cranky anchor." he smiled slightly. "I do appreciate that he stayed behind-I know it wasn't because of _me_ , but it was nice to know he was here."

"It sounds like you two get along?" Dr. Keen questioned.

"Not at first." Jack replied. "I'm not quite sure if we do now, but I'd like to think I'm getting through to him."

Dr. Keen hummed, her pen scratching on paper again. "Who else?"

"Well, Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus-" he stumbled over the last name, because during Optimus message he'd singled the last bot out and that no doubt meant he was the most severally hurt- "and while I don't know any of them that well, they're okay.

"Bumblebee is...he's okay too." Jack said stiltedly, because all he could see was 'Bee's lifeless body floating to the bottom of the Omega Lock. _"He's alive."_ he whispered, more to himself. "That's all that matters." he coughed into his fist, his face warming.

"Anyway, I like Smokescreen, he's fun to hang around with, and he said he'd give me a tour of Cybertron." The smile he felt forming faded, and his not-stomach churned. "There was a bit of an...incident," he remembered talking to Smokescreen on the Nemesis, of burying the hatchet, "but we patched it up.

"Optimus, well, he's just amazing." Jack said, and he flushed again when he couldn't stop the awe from coloring his tone. Something which Dr. Keen likely picked up but gave no indication of hearing. "I'll admit the first time I saw him I was so scared but so floored. It hurt a lot, when we thought we lost him, and it was hard to imagine a world where he wasn't-" _alive._

Jack's throat tightened, his spark picking up. He left that train of thought alone, and refocused on his partner. "And last but certainly not least, Arcee. She's the one I'm closest too, but one I think besides my mom I can just...be myself around. We had a rough start, but after a _lot_ of misteps we really synched up. She even stopped calling me her junior partner."

Dr. Keen allowed a soft smile to grace her lips. "It sounds like you've really grown attached to the Autobots. If you could see them again, would you?"

"Of course I would." Jack answered, but his optics became half-lidded in thought. "I know eventually I might need to make a choice-about whether to stay on Earth or not, that there might not be enough energon here, or the government can't hide our presence anymore...can we move on?"

Those thoughts had started to plague him, and right now he didn't want to get into it.

Dr. Keen nodded. "Yes, of course."


	7. Chapter 7

It was eerie, Starscream was forced to admit-if only to himself. Grimwing had left shortly after Shockwave explained his duties as an assistant, and the attentiveness with which the beast listened to him was strange. And it sounded an awfully lot like what Starscream did, only having to unfortunately associate with the scientist more. _Is he trying to replace me with this thing?_ It didn't make any sense though, but the thought was kept to the back of his mind just in case.

Starscream jumped as one of the last tubes shook, the form inside shaking. The seeker scowled as Shockwave barely gave the chamber a glance. "Was it really necessary to have them incubate so close together? What could you possible need _seven_ Predacons for? They can't all be for Ripclaw."

"No, they're not." Shockwave said calmly. "Until Skystalker succeeds or perishes he will be the only one assigned that task. The rest were modified with varying skills and intelligence. Darksteel and Skylynx are labourers, no great intelligence needed. Circuit is the leader, and must be cunning to keep the others under heel and prevent mutiny. Grimwing is meant to work with me in the lab, therefore I require intelligent conversation-"

Starscream scowled; that was surely a dig at him, and he cut him off just as rudely. "So you've got smart and stupid, what more is there?"

Shockwave infuriating continued as though Starscream hadn't spoken. The seeker was spiteful enough to dare say the scientist merely wanted to stroke his own ego. That seemed unlikely, but Starscream would hold onto it until proven otherwise; he already imagined Shockwave made Skystalker because he couldn't frag Ripclaw himself, so why not?

"This is Lazerback." Shockwave gestured to the Predacon who worryingly begun to shake so hard the glass rattled. It settled back down slowly, averting some rather unnerving flashbacks to Predaking and Ripclaw's feral states.

The Predacon was big, nearly taking up the entirety of its tube, but it was surprising because the last one was the same size and yet it didn't move at all. Starscream warily stepped back as the former shifted, its colors not having come in but he noticed the two pronged missile launcher on its back. _Yet another ridiculous modification_. It had a thick body, long legs curled up to its chest, and a round head that ended in a sharp beak.

"I take it the name came from it's missile launcher?" Starscream asked dryly.

Shockwave didn't comment on it as he kept talking. "Should Skystalker fail, he would be the replacement, though for now he is as sterile as the rest. He is nearly Predaking's equal in all but form-I lacked the proper endomatter to create a replica."

"Ah, so its only second best then." The seeker sneered. "What about the last one? Is it your table scraps?"

"Cindersaur is merely meant to be strong, and she is to defer to Circuit and provide backup should one of the other Predacons try for leadership." Shockwave explained. "It does not take much intelligence to follow someone."

"Table scraps it is then," Starscream drawled, smirking nastily, "I don't know why I was surprised to find even you have favorites." He flinched when Lazerback shook again. "W-why such a fixation on Ripclaw then? You have all these Predacons-make one of _them_ capable of carrying-disgusting as it may be, I'm fairly certain they'd have been grown with the equipment in place."

"You fail to see the greater scope of my experiment; Ripclaw is not a clone, as I have told you before, and had I merely wanted a Predacon capable of carrying I would have done that already." Shockwave explained. "The result would not be as durable, due to the already weak CNA of the endomatter. The offspring of a true Predacon would negate that, and by unlocking the fusion of Ripclaw's CNA with a modern Cybertronian will allow untold scientific breakthroughs, possibly even splicing unrelated CNA with a Cybertronian, mass producing such creatures...all the possibilities..." his voice trailed off.

Starscream's optics widened incredulously. Shockwave's shoulders slouched, his optic being almost half-lidded as his helm tilted at a slight angle, and his attenae twitched. _Is...is he actually..._ daydreaming? Starscream blinked rapidly, just because he couldn't be sure if this was a hallucination or not. But no, Shockwave was still in that bizarre tableau.

It made the seeker's plating crawl, and not just with the possibility that Shockwave might come after _him_ if he gets Ripclaw's CNA fused with the donor sample, thus proving his 'theory'. _What kind of mad scientist did you allow into our cause, Megatron?_

Starscream stepped back, his optics flickering to the entrance. Perhaps he could still make a break for it- a winged form dropped in front of the entrance, Skystalker transforming as he rushed in. Starscream snarled, his chance gone along with Shockwave's lapse in character. _Wretched beasts keep ruining everything!_

Skystalker glanced at him, but then focused on a once more composed Shockwave. His wings hunched behind him, head bowed and optics downcast. "Sir, I have something important to report."

Shockwave stared at him, optic glancing at his console before looking back at Skystalker. "Where is Ripclaw?" The Predacon knelt down on one knee. "Why have you returned empty-handed?" Skystalker's other knee hit the ground, his form hunkering into itself to appear smaller. "Why did you return at all?"

Skystalker's cold expression was fearful, contrite, but Starscream was irritated to find even beneath that there seemed to be calculative edge. It would explain his overly formal display of pleading for forgiveness. "Sir," he said softly, optics turned to the ground, "Ripclaw is not on planet."

"You returned simply because finding him proved too difficult?" Shockwave questioned, and only he could make such a blantly critical question neutral.

Skystalker shook his head. "No, I concluded on my own that Ripclaw is on earth, as per one of your speculations in my informational package." he explained. "I have returned because Predaking is still alive."

Starscream jumped, the revelation hitting him hard. "What? You must be mistaken. I saw Predaking go out the airlock myself!" Skystalker glared at him-clearly his display was not meant for _him._

Shockwave inclined his head briefly. "And you are certain?" Skystalker nodded briskly, and the scientist walked over to the console.

Starscream was in disbelief as Shockwave pulled up a file containing Predaking. "You can't possibly want to return Predaking to the fold after what he did! He's clearly not on _our_ side, what purpose would he have here? You said so yourself-Circuit's the leader now."

"It is best to keep all assets under one command. Predaking was the prototype, and it should not take much to re-educate him about where his true loyalties should lie." Shockwave said. He turned off the console, and made his way towards the hall. "Skystalker, Starscream, come-we must make preparations for Predaking's return."

Starscream scowled, but with Skystalker lurking behind him, he had little choice but to follow. "And if he resists?"

Shockwave didn't pause. "Then he serves as little more than a liability."

Skystalker smiled slightly. "So this means I'll still get to be the only one for Ripclaw?"

"Yes." Shockwave said, and Starscream just _barely_ kept his snort back.

As their steps grew fainter and the voices became quieter, the central command station was left silent.

A silence soon broken by the sound of claws scraping along the hyper-evolution chamber. Shifting his massive form, Lazerback's purple optics opened in a glare. The sharp tips of his claws poked through the glass, and gentle cracks ran along the bottom. His paw retracted and the fluid gushed out of the opening.

Lazerback's optics glowed brighter, impatient and furious. _Second best? Second best?!_ His paws shot through the glass in front of him, lips curling back into a snarl. The glass broke under the weight and the rest of the liquid rushed out, his form sliding along with it and he broke into a run the moment he touched the floor.

He'd heard everything those fools said. _I am no one's second best, nor a pale imitation; Shockwave will pay for denying me my right!_ The ground crunched under his weight, the rush of wind freezing the fluid still on his frame, but he ignored it.

 _Predaking is going to pay for giving me this lot in life-they will all pay._

Lazerback was subservient to no one-Shockwave, Circuit, Predaking. And if Ripclaw was so important to those plans, well, as his 'creator' would say- it's only logical to take away that variable.

 _Earth, I must find a way to earth._

* * *

 **A/N: Interesting fact, but in Shockwave's WFC wiki page-which is also his Prime page- his... _ambition_ was tempered by Megatron's more practical side. So _this_ Shockwave is reverting back to his old ideas since there's no Megatron to keep him reined in. And we all know Starscream ain't no Megatron.**

 **Also another 'interesting' thing I found out from his page was that Shockwave actually wanted to _rule_ Cybertron. Make of that what you will.**


	8. Chapter 8

The processor ache which Ratchet acquired had begun as a dull ache behind his optics, but now a deep throbbing in his head. Being stressed and overworked about making sure everyone's injuries were taken care of -while keeping a careful optic on Ultra Magnus' vitals- was not a new experience, but on top of everything else he was learning just made the day seem longer and more draining.

Like what had attacked, just- _what happened_ in general.

Ratchet rubbed the space between his optics. "Let's see if I have this right; two Predacons -which should not exist- attacked the Nemesis out of the blue, while the floor to the room the prisoner were kept in-including Knock Out- was smashed in, allowing all of them to escape. Now, have I missed anything?"

"Yeah, it means that one-eyed freak is on Cybertron." Smokesreen said.

Ratchet vented heavily. "I could infer that due to the Predacons running around." he grumbled. He looked over at Optimus. "I take it this why you neglected to mention anything specific in your transmission?"

Optimus looked grave. "I did not want to say anything with Jack present; I had hoped we may deal with this before he needs to know."

Ratchet chuffed, scowling at the leader. "I know you think you're protecting him, but he's going to find out one way or the other. _I'll_ inform him of this and you can deal with the rest of the mess."

"Since when did you and Jack become so chummy?" Arcee questioned.

Ratchet snorted; he would not necessarily call the dynamic between him and Jack 'chummy'. He wasn't unpleasant company though, aside from the incident with his EMP howl. "Proximity." Was all he said.

Wheeljack snickered. "Well it's good to see you're playing nice." he wheeled, and Ratchet scowled at him.

"Wheeljack," Optimus said sternly, and the Wrecker only raised an optic ridge, "you and Bulkhead will detain the escapees."

The two bots whooped and bumped their chests together before making a break for the exit. Ratchet rolled his optics. _They'd better not reopen their wounds,_ he thought, but made a note just in case to be prepared for when they came back.

"Arcee," Optimus began, "I know this may be difficult, but do you remember the location of where the lab you were kept in?" The femme scowled lightly, but she nodded reluctantly. "Would you give Bumblebee the co-ordinates? Perhaps there is something salvagable that could be used to pinpoint the rest of Shockwave's laboratories."

"I can go." Arcee said firmly, tense, but a resolve in her expression. Optimus held her gaze for a moment, and he nodded. The femme made her way to the exit, gesturing for Bumblebee to follow.

Smokescreen looked up at Optimus eagerly. "What about me? I bet it's something important, right?"

"Yes, very much so." Optimus said calmly. "You will watch Ultra Magnus' vitals while Ratchet informs Jack of the situation."

" _What?_ " Smokescreen asked incredulously. "Why can't I go out and-and _do something?_ I don't want to be cooped up in here."

"Smokescreen, you must realize that no job is less important than another's." Optimus said. "Ratchet cannot do both."

The medic vented heavily. He was not thrilled about the idea either, but he wasn't going to let Smokescreen be the one who talked to Jack. _He could just blurt it all out like his usual tactless self._ "Contrary to popular opinion, I do not have optics at the back of my helm."

Smokescreen snorted. "Could have fooled me." he muttered.

Optimus glanced at the racer before putting his hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "I will remain onboard to sift through the ship's archives for information as to where Shockwave's location may be as well."

Ratchet's optics widened for a moment, realizing just what else might be on file. "Optimus," he kept his voice low, and made sure Smokescreen was out of hearing distance, "there's a chance Shockwave documented his research on Predaking _and_ Jack; I-I just think you should be aware if you come across it."

Optimus stared at him with a heavy gaze for a moment, and nodded briefly. "Yes, I understand."

* * *

Things were silent, but even as Knock Out stared longingly at the cavern exit, he didn't want to risk sending Predaking into hunting mode. The Predacon had taken to pacing in front of him, his optics ridges furrowed as he processed the information.

"I..." Predaking stopped, and levelled the medic a narrowed glare, causing Knock Out to tense, "do not like you-I don't think I ever will, but I won't kill you. Not for now."

Knock Out scowled. "The feeling is mutual." Predaking might have backed off from Jack, but the red mech was still used to seeing the mech as his 'rival'. _As if I can even call him that, since Jack still hates us._ "Then what exactly do you intend to do with me?"

Predaking's expression tightened, reluctant. "I have given much thought, split between two minds on where to go from here." he vented deeply. "Though it pains me to say this, we are returning to the Autobots."

Knock Out jolted, enough to send him scrambling to his pedes. "What?! You can't be serious, even after what they-"

Predaking glared at him. "I am well aware of what I am saying!" he cut him off sharply. "I have not forgiven their role in my brethren's destruction, but this is greater than my pride. I will not allow the chance for Shockwave to harm Jack."

"Jack's never going to like you for it." Knock Out muttered, but Predaking snorted.

"Do you not think I realize that?" he asked. "I am not seeking affection or forgiveness, merely a chance to make up for the harm I have caused him." his optics narrowed. "Perhaps you would do well to heed the same path."

Knock Out scowled at the mech, his face stinging from the torn plating. "I did! I gave Jack stablized Synth-En so he wouldn't fly into psychotic rages anymore! Doesn't that count?"

"And did you expect something in return?" Predaking retorted.

Knock Out paused. His immediate answer was _no_ , but he couldn't get it out. True, he'd said no strings attached, but...he couldn't help but think a part of Jack would be grateful. A smile, or a thanks- Knock Out should have known better than to assume Jack would be happy with him given what he'd done. _I knew what I was doing was wrong, I don't have Predaking's excuse of ignorance._ And the Predacon was doing a better job of acting remorseful. _I suppose it's not acting if you really feel that way._

"I'm a selfish, vain, egotistical bot who thought I could get Jack to love me through force." Knock Out hated to admit his faults, but in some bitterly ironic way he was now as ugly on the outside as he'd been inside. "I'm an idiot."

"So am I." Predaking said gruffly, clearly as displeased as Knock Out was to find they were on the same page. "How about, for the time being, we have truce?" The red mech blinked in disbelief at him. "I will put to the side my anger at you leading the other Predacon out here with the hope of us fighting each other."

Knock Out narrowed his gaze suspiciously. "And?"

Predaking smirked. "Since I know you're not going back to the Autobots willingly; you'll have to put aside your anger for me dragging you back."

Knock Out's optics widened. "What?" Was all he got out before Predaking hoisted him over his shoulder and whisked him out of the cave. His spark pulsed wildly, and he found himself tossed into the air, an odd disconnect as Predaking transformed into beast mode and the red mech knew what was coming as the dragon reached out to catch him.

Knock Out shrieked as the talons wrapped around him and he found the ground growing further away. _"Not agaaain!"_

* * *

Jack had been a bit surprised Dr. Keen came back the next day, but wasn't shocked due to the fact they hadn't actually set up a schedule yet. He did look regretfully at Miko and Raf, who both knew they had to leave but neither seemed happy about it.

Miko puffed up as she passed the woman. "You'd better not make him cry!"

Jack flushed as Dr. Keen raised a brow. "Miko, she's not going to do that." he said, embarrassment flowing through him.

Miko only crossed her arms while Raf waved at Jack before the two left the room.

Dr. Keen was smiling though, so Jack was relieved she wasn't annoyed with the girl. "You have some good friends; do they visit often?"

Jack vented. "No, but it's nice when they do." Especially since Ratchet wasn't around, but he wouldn't begrudge any of them living their lives. _I just don't know what to do with_ mine _now._ That was still an uncomfortable topic to get into though. "Can I ask you a question?"

Dr. Keen's smile was soft and encouraging. "Sure, go ahead."

"What did you want to be, before-you know, being a psychologist?" Jack asked awkwardly.

"Well, I went through a bunch of interests growing up." Dr. Keen looked thoughtful. "I wanted to be a geologist, it shifted to geoengineering, but then I wanted to be a psychologist to help people." A sheepish flush came over her cheeks. "A wild change in professions, but that's just where life took me."

"And...are you happy?" Jack asked quietly.

Dr. Keen's expression smoothed out, but there was conviction in her eyes. "Yes, I am. And hopefully, you can be too."

Jack glanced away. His life had been in disarray even while he was human, working a menial job he hated to help his mother, then helping the Autobots. _Now it's time to help myself,_ he thought. "I...I'd like that."

Dr. Keen nodded, and wrote something down on her clipboard. "It would help to give yourself a goal; where would you like to be? Then we can work on the steps to get there."

Jack stared at her, and blinked as he hummed. "I-I want..." his face flushed again. "I want to be happy-I...I'm sorry I can't be more specific."

"That's okay, just having that will help you." Dr. Keen said. "I know it can be difficult to find the steps to take, so we can consider that you're homework," she said with a dry smile, "list mini-goals to help you on your way, and the big one won't feel so impossible."

Jack's chest lightened. That did sound more manageable. "Okay." he furrowed his ridges. "When do you want the list?"

"It doesn't have to be tomorrow, it can be the next meeting we have." Dr. Keen tapped her pen against her chin. "How's this Monday sound? Around ten a.m.?"

Jack grinned, but it was brittle. "Sure, I can just kick Ratch out." his chest tightened back up as he thought of the medic, of what was happening with the Autobots. As if on cue, a beep from the console started up. Jack winced. "Sorry, it's a transmission from the Autobots."

Dr. Keen packed up her suitcase. "It's okay, it might be important. I'll step outside and let you take your call."

Jack was surprised she was being so accommodating, but then again this wasn't exactly a normal situation. "Thanks." he said and waited until she'd left the room, and pressed the blinking button. His vents closed, spark pulsing as the screen was static-but he let out a relieved sigh as the image cleared and Ratchet appeared on the other side. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

For a moment, Ratchet looked surprised. Then he shook his head and his expression was all business. "As the case may be, I'm sure you'll be relieved to note everyone else is in relatively good condition; the only exception is Ultra Magnus, but he's moved out of being critical."

Jack nodded, and furrowed his ridges. "What happened though? Who attacked? Was it other 'Cons?"

"Not exactly." Ratchet muttered. "It-I do not know how to break this to you, but you must not react." he said and Jack frowned. "The ones who attacked were Predacons," Jack's optics went wide, "it means-"

"Shockwave is on Cybertron." Jack finished, his voice quiet. He gritted his denta, anger simmering as he tried to keep himself calm. "What-" he cut himself off, and sucked in a deep vent before trying again. "What is being done?"

"Arcee, Bumblebee and Optimus are attempting to find the location of his labs," Ratchet explained, "but in the attack the prisoners on the Nemesis escaped, and Bulkhead and Wheeljack are attempting to round them up."

Jack jolted, icy surprise running down his spine. "Escaped? Wait, so...so does that include Knock Out?" he growled low in his throat when Ratchet nodded stiffly. "I don't believe this." he muttered. Jack grabbed the edge of the console, optics narrowed. "Is there anything else?"

Before Ratchet could reply, another voice cut in, and Jack was surprised to see Smokescreen in the background. "Is that Jack? Hey, Jack!" The medic scowled as the racer shoved himself into view of the screen, his optics roving over Jack's frame. "You get a new paintjob? You look good."

Jack blinked, confused about whether to be flattered or baffled by the mood whiplash. It alleviated his despair, just for a moment though. It made him remember why he liked Smokescreen. "Thank you."

Ratchet huffed as he glared at Smokescreen. "I told you not to leave your post!"

"It's not fair, Ratch-can't I at least get to talk to Jack?" he asked.

Jack found himself smiling slightly. "Sorry, but I can't talk. I-I'm in a meeting with my therapist."

Smokescreen blinked. "Really?" he smiled back. "I guess I can wait a bit longer."

The medic elbowed Smokescreen out of screen-view, irritated and grumpy as usual now. "Yes, we'll let you get back to it."

Jack nodded, and a moment later the screen went dark. He saw his reflection in the glass, the faint smile and how just a little he seemed better-like he could do this. _They're dealing with Shockwave, so I don't have to. At least, not right now._ Jack sighed and closed his optics briefly. _I can do this, I can get better._

With that in mind, Jack went to retrieve Dr. Keen.


	9. Chapter 9

The glass was broken, fluid dampening the ground. Starscream gaped at the sight, blinking as he realized what the sound of something breaking was. He was unsure exactly if a wild beast was any better than thinking they had been found. The seeker gave Shockwave a look, haughty and disdainful as his wings flicked. "Was it escaping part of your plan?"

Shockwave surveyed the scene, calm as ever. "A minor set back."

Starscream glared at him. " _Minor?_ It broke out!" he snapped. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"We move." Shockwave said calmly. "This location was compromised already due to Darksteel and Skylynx engaging with the Autobots. We are going to relocate and continue with the plan as scheduled."

"And what," Starscream gestured irritatedly at the last Predacon chamber, "are we just supposed to haul her along with us?"

"Yes." Shockwave said bluntly, and Starscream blinked. The scientist glanced over his shoulder. "Grimwing," he called, and the ursagryph came walking down the hall obdiently, still in beast mode, "assist me in preparing to transport Cindersaur." The beast nodded, and went to stand in front of the tube, but glanced over at the broken chamber.

Starscream vented deeply. "And what about the rest of the so-called plan? Are you planning on reprogramming Lazerback to obey you like Predaking?"

"It is the only logical course of action." Shockwave explained, and Grimwing looked at him, wings twitching. "They are assets to be reclaimed, and should re-education prove ineffective, completely scrapping them would be the only option, and I would start again."

"And what about Ripclaw? What if _he_ can't be reprogrammed? You gonna scrap him too?" Starscream muttered, hoping the answer was 'yes' just because of spite.

"No. He would be too valuable. Should he prove uncooperative or unruly, and resist re-education, he will simply be sedated." Shockwave said. "Only his body is needed, not his mind."

Grimwing's claws were tapping against the ground, not moving but looking around as though agitated.

"Would you stop that racket?" Starscream snapped, and the beast growled low in its throat but settled down.

"Starscream, go inform the other Predacons we will be moving; I shall need to install the co-ordinates before we evacuate." Shockwave said.

The seeker rolled his optics, but made his way down to the area where the other beasts resided. Inside the room, Skystalker and Circuit were glaring at each other, while Darksteel and Skylynx seemed to defer to the blue and white dragon more out of fear. "Hey!" he called, and as one they all looked at him; Starscream resisted shuddering. This was creepier than he realized. "Shockwave wants you all in the lab, we're moving out."

Starscream barely has the time to pull flat against the wall before Circuit came barreling out of the room, her beast mode's slick movements almost slithering along the floor in her rush. Skystalker walked out in root mode, haughty as he didn't even spare Starscream a glance while the two lackeys skulked sullenly after him.

The seeker glared at the group as a whole. Rotten bunch of-he jumped as screeching rang out, strange bird-like squakes and shrills. He furrowed his optic ridges as he rushed back to the lab, shoving past Darksteel and Skylyx as a bizarre, small black and bird-like creature was jumping up and down, serrated wings flapping. "What... _is_ that?"

Grimwing seemed to glare at him, and in one motion he transformed into root mode as he scooped up the creature. He held it securely in his servos, wings still flapping but its beak kept closed. "He." his voice was low, smooth, and more eloquent than Starscream expected. Grimwing glanced at Shockwave, bowing his head for a moment. "I apologize if Blackbeak startled you, but I was not sure myself if he was truly anything."

"Fascinating, this...creature must have been split from your form as you developed." Shockwave said, his tone still even, not giving one way or the other if he was 'startled.' "When we have reached our next destinaton, I would be interesting in studying."

The strange creature struggled even more, and Grimwing tensed. "O-of course." he said quietly.

Shockwave inclined his head, and brought up the files on the console. "Hold out your data cables," he instructed the Predacons, "and be on your way."

"What about my mission?" Skystalker questioned as he plugged his cable line into the plug. He was pushed out of the way by Circuit as she did the same.

"You may resume when you have come up with an eighty percent chance of sucess." Shockwave replied.

Skystalker stared at him, and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I understand."

"Grimwing, calm your homunculi before you set out. I expect you to handle Cindersaur carefully as she has not yet completed incubating." Shockwave said.

Grimwing vented deeply. "I will treat my sister well."

Shockwave inclined his head. "Then set out once you have our destination."

Grimwing frowned, optics glancing away for a moment. A hard glint appeared in his gaze. "Yes, I will not forget."

a

Jack stared up at the ceiling, once more lying against the wall in root mode. He'd been bored by his 'house arrest', but at least he'd had Ratchet to alleviate it. Now he didn't have that. Miko and Raf were spending time with their families most likely. He was beginning to memorize the cracks on the tiles above him, and Jack shook his head. _I need to get out of here, maybe Fowler can pull a few strings._ An hour, even half-an-hour at that, he didn't mind.

Footsteps echoed outside, and the scent wafted inside, alerting him to his mother's incoming prescence. Jack smiled, but it faltered as he heard another set, quicker and he caught Fowler's scent as well.

"Uh, June, can we talk for a moment?"

"I was going to see Jack, can we talk on the way?"

"Er, sure." Jack furrowed his ridges. His foggy memories of Fowler did not paint the man as 'nervous'.

The wolf Predacon tilted his head, helm fins twitching as he focused on their voices. Something niggled at the back of his mind, but he couldn't place it.

"So, um," Fowler started awkwardly, "I know you've been worried about Jack, but, well, have you been looking after yourself? You've gotten better since he's been back, but while he was gone-"

"I'm fine." June cut in quickly, but Jack's spark twisted. "Jack is here, he's safe, that's all that matters. You're concern is appreciated, but there's nothing to talk about."

Fowler was silent for a moment. "Okay then, but...just putting it out there, the coffe's not as bad as you think here, if you-er-ever wanna to grab a cup to drink," he coughed awkwardly, "just saying."

June paused, but when she spoke, Jack could almost picture the slight smile on her face. "I...thank you for your offer."

"Right." Fowler replied.

Jack couldn't help himself. He craned his neck, leaning down to peer around the edge of the door. Fowler was already walking away, but June did have a small smile on her face. When she turned forward and saw him, her face flushed as she sprinted into the room.

"How much did you hear?" she asked.

Jack tilted his head as he sat back up. "All of it." he replied, furrowing his ridges before he smiled a little. "He thinks you."

"I know," June murmured, "and we had a moment and all during-well, thing's have been a bit hectic with everything still going on."

Jack wasn't sure if that was code for 'I'm worried about my robot son' or just stress from being an on-site nurse. "I'll admit it; I still have a hard time remembering some things, but I know that Fowler's a good guy-which, it's escaping me, but that just feels like a big deal-so, if you know," it was awkward, trying to be the supportive one, "I'm an adult now, so you can...er, go...be happy?"

June stared at him, and her expression slowly shifted into incredulty before she started laughing. She placed a hand on her chest as she doubled over, and when she quieted her chuckles, she grinned up at him. "Thank you, Jack, I've really needed that." she giggled. She wiped away an escaped tear. "At least I'd know you approve," she smiled again, and patted his ankle, "but for now it's still too soon."

"Okay, then what do you wanna do in the mean time?" Jack questioned.

June lifted herself to sit on his ankle, and Jack shifted his pede so she could use the edge to steady herself. "Can we just talk?"

Jack blinked, but he found himself smiling. "Sure, does it matter about what?"

"No," June leaned against him, "I just wanna keep believing you're really here."

Jack's spark twisted again, and he hurried to think of something. "Well, I talked with Ratchet, and Smokescreen. I'm still hoping I'll get to speak to Arcee, but I think everyone else is busy. Dr. Keen is really nice, and she's letting me talk at my own pace, doesn't pry, and..."

Jack didn't know how long they talked for, but it could have been hours and he wouldn't have cared. Being with his mother, just talking like everything was normal again-he missed this.


	10. Chapter 10

Grimwing was at a loss. He did not- could not- agree with what Shockwave said, but the thought of leaving the pack left him cold. From the sounds of it though, three were already off on their own, but he was worried about if he could get himself, Blackbeak and Cindersaur out of here. _Where would we go?_ He mulled it over in his head, one servo clutching the bar of the transport with its raised walls to keep Cinder's tube safe, but that still didn't feel like adequate protection.

She could crack the glass by accident, just as Lazerback had done on purpose.

His optics narrowed, seeing the far off forms of Shockwave and Starscream's vehicular alt-modes growing fainter in the distance. it would be easy to slip from their notice, but he caught a glance of Circuit's beast mode slithering alongside him, while he heard Skystalker growling at Darksteel and Skylynx behind him.

Getting away from his siblings would be harder, but leaving them left him cold still. He needed to _know_ if his plans were warranted. He glanced at Circuit again. He might as well begin now. "May I ask you something?"

Circuit stared at him, but in a fluid motion she transformed into her root mode. For a moment, she looked deeply displeased at having to do so. "Make it quick, I do not like this form."

Grimwing paused. "Your...root form?"

Circuit growled low in her throat. "This is _not_ my 'root form'. That would be my beautiful dragon mode bestowed on me by our wonderful Creator." she said, optics glancing up wistfully.

Grimwing's spark pulsed a bit harder. 'Wonderful' was not a word he'd use to describe Shockwave. His other servo held Blackbeak, and he pulled the creature to his chest. He needed to protect Blackbeak as well as Cinder after all. "My question is: what do we do once we reach our destination?"

Circuit stared at him again, and then her chin jerked up as a lip curled. "Do not presume anything, we each have our set places. Shockwave gave you your task, so don't think beyond that-it's not what you were made for."

Grimwing frowned. "What about our wayward bretren?"

Circuit scoffed. "Shockwave has a place for them too. Once Lazerback and Predaking are brought back into the fold, they will be shown the error of their ways. If not," she shrugged, "then Shockwave can just start again."

"And...what about Ripclaw?" Grimwing questioned. He was startled to see a scowl curl along Circuit's lips, red optics glowing as her expression was dark, _bitter_. If he dared to name it, she looked jealous.

"Yes, _him."_ she muttered, shoulders tensing. "He has such an _important_ role, and he refuses it-refuses _Shockwave_. I for one will not be saddened should he need to be sedated," her tail flicked, expression contemptuous, "and Skystalker can have him to himself for all I care."

Grimwing's spark sank at his sister's words. "I-I see."

"You'd do well to heed them." Circuit said in warning. She looked back ahead, and in another motion transformed back into her dragon form before taking flight.

Grimwing slowed his pace, so he was at an even stride with the trio behind him. Skylynx looked at him before glaring sullenly at the landscape, while Darksteel glanced up at Cindersaur. "Skystalker, may I ask you a question?"

Darksteel snorted. "There's a shock." he ducked down when Skystalker glared at him. "Sorry, boss."

The blue and white Predacon narrowed his optics before looking at Grimwing. "You may ask your question."

Grimwing nodded, and he hoped this went better than with Circuit. "Your mission, it's to capture Ripclaw, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. Surely that's not all you wanted to know."

"No, what i want to know...what do you know about him?" Grimwing asked carefully. He himself was only given a picture of Ripclaw for his informational package, and a few facts.

Skystalker tensed for a moment, but he didn't break stride. "You are sterile." he said coldly.

Grimwing's optics widened as he realied what the other Predacon was thinking. _He assumes I wish to mate with Ripclaw? Is he truly so paranoid?_ "I am, but I don't want to mate with him, just _know_ about him."

Slowly relaxing, Skystalker nodded. "He was supposed to be Predaking's," he began, lips twisting into a brief frown, "but given the encounter I had with Predaking, I can understand why Shockwave deemed him unworthy."

Grimwing furrowed his ridges. "Unworthy? How?"

"He was _weak_ ," Skystalker said, "he spoke about such soft things that it made me disgusted with him." his optics locked on Grimwing intently. "We are Predacons, what use can love be? There is only hierarchy, and only strength matters. I just need to be stronger than Ripclaw to hold him down."

Grimwing was shaken; did his brother truly believe that? What did his love for Cindersaur and Blackbeak say then? His optics glanced at the other two Predacons following. Clearly Darksteel and Skylynx didn't like Skystalker, but yet they followed him anyway. "And what if he's stronger than you?"

"It does not matter." Skystalker said. "I understand any true chance of sucess to impregnate Ripclaw will either end with me retrieving him or dying. Though in the event I complete my mission," he smirked, "I don't need his love, but I will gladly take his body."

Grimwing had nothing to say, but after taking account of what he'd heard from both Skystalker and Circuit, his choice was clear. He needed to leave, _now_. "I see." he said quietly, and slowly lagged behind.

He made sure the distance between them was too great to notice he'd stopped following completely. Grimwing vented deeply, alone except for Cindersaur and Blackbeak, but he looked over his three options. _Predaking, Lazerback, Ripclaw...will I have a better chance of connecting with any of them?_

Tugging the transport with him, Grimwing made his way off the path to the laboratory. He supposed it didn't matter which one he found first, just the hope they'd take them in, however slim those chances were.

* * *

Looking over the ruins, Arcee wouldn't say she was _jumpy_ , but she hated being back in even the destroyed lab more than words could describe. _Get in, find a computer, get the information, then get the frag out._ A simple plan, one she told herself would work better with 'Bee here than by herself. If just to distract from the wreckage they stepped into.

"This plan is a real dump." Bumblebee said.

"You should have seen it before." Arcee muttered, and she smiled briefly when Bumblebee laughed. "We'll need to go deeper down, less of a chance everything got destroyed-which I can't believe I'm saying."

"If this weren't about helping Jack, I'd be happy never to see Shockwave again." Bumblebee said.

Arcee frowned. "You and me both."

They needed to move several sheets of debris, piled haphazardly over a drop that led into the lower level. Bumblebee gestured for her to go first, but she rolled her optics. He smiled sheepishly and went in first instead. Arcee followed after, and her optics adjusted to the dim light from the opening above them.

It had never been a pretty sight, but grime had started to building up along the walls, the room practically a cavern from how dry and dark it was. The explosion caught most of the interior, cluttering everything into haphazard piles. It meant they'd need to go in deeper, and she wasn't too keen on staying longer than necessary.

"Was it always so cozy?" Bumblebee asked dryly.

Arcee snorted. "No, it was worse."

They made their way down a long corridor, many halls blocked off or caved in, but Arcee frowned as they saw a tunnel with a hold dug above it. And it was _dug into_. Fresh, scattered debris lined the around the hole, and in the lighting Arcee could see what were claw marks along the edges of the torn metal.

"I don't think we're alone." Bumblebee said.

Arcee nodded. "Be on guard, at best whatever dropped in is long gone." The last she wanted to see was an Insecticon or scraplet scavenging for food.

"Least we have a closer escape route." 'Bee said lightly, but he brought his blaster online just the same as she did.

The two of them continued down the hall they were originally on, and soon they came to a wide room, scattered pieces of equipment thrown together along- Arcee stalled, her optics widening. She looked at Bumblebee, and he seemed just as shocked.

It was a crude job, but someone had gathered the broken remains of the space bridge, haphazardly held together in a funhouse version. A cord slithered along the output of one piece to a jury-rigged console with data scrolling up the screen.

"Who'd be dumb enough to try and get this space bridge to work?" Arcee muttered. "It's unstable, at best it'd collapse on itself."

"I'm more worried about where it's _set_." Bumblebee said. "What if it's a 'Con trying a sneak attack on the Nemesis?"

Arcee shook her head. "No, when Cliff and I blew it up, it had been set...Earth, so we could join Optimus..." she trailed off. She looked around quickly, but there was no sign of who could have been in there around. "Come on, we need to make sure where it's set too."

Bumblebee frowned as they hurried over to the console. "What's the matter?"

"Don't you see?" Arcee asked as her digits flew over the keypad. Her spark pulsed faster as she found the co-ordinates having been _already_ brought up. "We might have just stumbled on Shockwave's new hideout, and right now on Earth what's the one thing he'd want?"

Bumblebee furrowed his ridges, but his optics widened. "Jack."

Arcee nodded, but a _clack_ of something dropping to the ground had them whirling around, blasters at the ready. Their gazes went _up_ as a tall, bulky form towered over them, nearly reaching Predaking's height if Arcee had to guess.

It was in root mode, it's yellow, red and purple coloring standing out starkly against the room's dimmer light. It was also standing in front of their escape route. How long had it been there? _How long did was it waiting?_ Arcee realized.

It's purple optics narrowed at them. "So you must be the Autobots," he said, his expression unimpressed and disdainful, "my informational package said you knew Ripclaw."

Arcee tensed, biting back her instant reply of _that's not his name!_ : _'Bee, we gotta destroy this console, he can't get to Earth.:_

 _:Don't need to tell me twice. But how are we gonna get past him?:_ Bumblebee replied, shifting slightly forward to block Arcee's blaster arm from sight.

Arcee glanced at the space bridge. All systems were go, but she worried if this was going work. _No backing out now. :On my signal run for the space bridge, and pray.:_

The Predacon seemed to misinterpret the action, for he laughed mockingly. "How noble," he sneered, "thinking that giving your friend a head start is going to save you both."

"You're right, it wouldn't." Bumblebee answered easily as Arcee pressed down on the button to activate the space bridge. It began to boot up.

The Predacon's optic ridges furrowed, but tensed instantly as the crude gate lit. Arcee didn't waste a shot in taking out the keypad. She felt the sparks and heat sear off her. _:Now!:_ She and 'Bee dove for the bridge's tunnel and transformed, gunning it as the console exploded behind them and the Predacon's furious roars followed them.

Once they reached the other end, the kickback sent them soaring along a rocky ridge, disorienting them as they attemted to regain their bearings.

Bumblebee careened to a stop, and Arcee did the same. "Did...did it work?"

Arcee transformed, glancing up at the yellow sun as night vision turned off. Her gaze slid down to the cliff she was standing on, her spark twisting as she saw the construction underway of a ruined town, but deep in her spark she knew what this was. "Yeah, we made it."

Bumblebee whooped as he jumped on his shock abosorbers. "Then let's get to Unit: E, and call Optimus to explain the situation."

Arcee raised a ridge, but smiled nonetheless. "Excited to see Raf?"

"Of course." Bumblebee replied, sounding offended as if his answer would be any different.

Arcee nodded. She couldn't deny she wanted to see the kids either, and even if this wasn't the best of times, it would be nice to see how Jack was holding up too. "Then let's get going."


	11. Chapter 11

Knock Out groaned as he got a mouthful of debris, and he spat it out just as quickly. _Why do all Predacons keep dropping me? What's the matter with gently placing me on the ground?_ Must his finish suffer for it too? The red mech grimaced as he got to his pedes, and looked down at himself again. Predaking certainly hadn't handled him as roughly as the other one, but there were still unseemly scratches along his sides.

They mixed in the with scratches already there, but that was little comfort.

Knock Out glowered as Predaking transformed and landed on his pedes, outright scowling as the Predacon grabbed his arm-just as the other one had. "What's the matter, don't trust me?"

"No." Predaking said bluntly. "We both know you'd run at the first chance you got."

Knock Out shrugged. "Can't blame a mech for trying."

"Don't tempt me." The Predacon muttered.

The medic's scowl deepened as he was dragged along, the city scape he'd left with the other Predacon loaming ahead, just over a hill. "Watch the finish; ever heard of something called 'gentleness?'"

Predaking snorted. "Would you prefer I carried you?"

Knock Out could recognize sarcasm from a mile away, but he was bored and just a bit-well, a _lot_ -tired. "Oh, you're actually offering that to moi? Why, and here I thought you didn't like me."

Predaking glared at him. "I don't." he retorted. "And clearly if you're smart mouth is running, then you should be on the rest of this trek."

Knock Out frowned. "Why even walk? Much as I despise being carried like a toy, would it not have been easier to just fly the whole way?"

Predaking glanced at him, but frowned at something unseen, optics narrowed and his tone somewhat distracted. "I didn't want to be fired upon by the Autobots. I thought trying to approach diplomatically would not be welcome were I appear as though I was going to attack."

Knock Out let out a 'hn.' "I guess not, since that's kinda how that other Predacon managed to get on board." he paused, realizing what was truly important in that scenario. "Besides, you'd be carrying me, and one of their shots might get me."

"You need not have worried about that," Predaking drawled, "had they fired, I simply would have dropped you. The Autobots could gather what was left of you on the ground."

Knock Out glared up at the mech, his expression not smug, but a definite smirk on his lips. The red mech kicked him out of pettiness, even if it did nothing but hurt his own pede. "Oh, and what about you? You still got frostbite from being turned into a Predacon popsickle?"

Predaking's optics flared, the edges tinging red, but he looked abruptly to the hill just ahead of him. His posture cycled through relaxation before tensing as his optics narrowed. "It would appear we have a guest," he muttered, and raised his voice even as Knock Out hissed at him to be quiet, "show yourself!"

The red mech tensed, and he didn't feel any better as a round head peered over the hill side, yellow optics narrowed and the pointed beak only made the face more severe. The figure jumped over the hill, transforming into a bi-pedal form and landed in a crouch before them. "Show me no harm and I will do the same. I do not wish to fight."

Predaking narrowed his optics, and Knock Out could tell depite being figuretively burned by the other Predacon, he still wanted some kind of connection. "I don't either, but why should I trust your word?"

"I have already taken a risk in going off on my own, but I do not expect that to be enough." This new Predacon spoke almost ruefully. "Very well then. I am Grimwing, and from your appearance you are Predaking, the first sucess Predacon which Shockwave created."

Predaking tensed. "Just as he created you, no doubt."

Grimwing nodded, expression serious. "Indeed, but I cannot condone his plans. I-it's... _wrong,_ what he's doing." his features were imploring. "I know you had a bad run in with Skystalker, but please allow me to explain myself if you decide to send me on my way."

Knock Out wasn't sure if they remembered he was there, but he didn't much like it. "We're kinda busy right now."

"Silence," Predaking commanded, and the red mech glared at him, "you _led_ this 'Skystalker' to me after all."

"I didn't think you were actually alive!" Knock Out retorted. "And I did tell you that I did it to keep him away from Jack!"

Grimwing visibly started at the name. "Ripclaw, he's with you?" his expression was a strange mix of relief, and unease-like he wished that wasn't the case. "Is he safe?" Perhaps that was his true concern, but it made no sense.

"And why would his location be of any importance to you?" Predaking questioned, a possessive edge appearing in his optics.

Knock Out sneered. _He might think he's better than me, but he still wants Jack too._

"It would be easier to warn him, I'll admit." Grimwing replied. "And you, quite honestly."

Predaking blinked, a strangely confused expression on his face. It almost made even Knock Out think he was harmless. "Me? For what possible reason?"

Grimwing began to appear agitated, his optics glancing to the side, worry starting to appear in his gaze before he looked back at the other Predaking with utter seriousness. "Shockwave divulged that you, my rogue brother and Ripclaw were to be captured and re-programmed," he explained and Predaking tensed, "should you and Lazerback not take to your...reducation, Shockwave would have ordered you both destroyed."

Predaking rumbled low in his chest. "And Jack?"

Grimwing furrowed his optic ridges at the continued use of the name, but he looked away. "He would kept sedated so Skystalker could..." his lips pulled down, optics closing. "Please don't make me continue."

Knock Out didn't need for him to say anything for him to realize Shockwave was truly serious about restarting Project Predacon. A flash of disgust churned deep in his tank, and if he were honest with himself-it was not only at Shockwave, but at himself for ever thinking he could get Jack's love with such a plan. _Just the chance to touch him..._ he could see the hateful glare Jack gave him back on the Nemesis. _I would hate me too, how's that for self-awareness? Huh?_ he thought bitterly.

Predaking slowly scowled, optics burning red before he closed his optics and vented deeply. "I see," he said, with a sense of forced calmness, "I would thank you for telling me, but I find himself too infuriated to mean it. So you will only need to infer it."

"I understand this is not easy to hear," Grimwing said, "it's why I left after all."

 _Does everyone have a better conscience than me?_ Knock Out questioned, but he knew the answer to that; save for Shockwave, yes, they did. _Wait, Shockwave doesn't have a conscience. Back to everyone then._

"And for that I am grateful, to know that Skystalker is not my only example to see connection is possible." Predaking said.

Grimwing hunched in on himself for a moment. "You will not like most of my siblings, then. Though I came to find you in the hopes you would not only accept me, but..." he hesitated, and vented deeply. "I feel I should show you." he said and began to make his way back up the hill.

Knock Out glanced up at Predaking. "You really think you can trust him?"

Predaking scowled down at him. "Do not think me a fool; I am well aware of deception now, but I will reserve judgement should he attempt to betray me."

"We'll, you've made me an unwilling tag-along, so shouldn't you give me due credit and say 'we'?" Knock Out asked snidely.

Predaking snorted. "I am merely returning a prisoner to the Autobots, that's all you are."

"Hey, watch the finish!" Knock Out struggled to jerk away as he was dragged once more, claws scratching his arm. He only caught the annoyed expression on Predaking's face before the red mech found himself hoisted back over the Predacon's shoulder again. This time there was no being thrown into the air, but when he began to kick, an arm was brought around to keep his legs from moving. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"You wanted me to carry you the rest of the way." Predaking muttered. "And this will keep you from complaining about your chipped paint."

"Chipped?" Knock Out was horrified to realize it was true. Along his arms were flakes of red that hadn't come from any of his rought treatment. "Look what being held prisoner has done to me!"

"I'm certainly Jack would agree it's nothing less than you deserve." Predaking retorted.

Knock Out scowled over his shoulder at him, frustrated the mech couldn't see it. "Like you're one to talk; we _both_ weren't too keen on letting him go, as I recall."

He couldn't see his expression, but he caught the tightness around the cheek to suggest the Predacon was frowning. "I remember, and to my knowledge I'm the only one who has apologized and attempted to make amends."

The red mech frowned as he didn't answer. He hated how his silence spoke for him, but to deny it was foolish even for him. Predaking had a perfectly valid excuse-that he wasn't thinking, was ignorant-but he wasn't using it to defend himself. Knock Out though...he knew what he'd done was wrong yet he went through with it anyway.

The red mech vented deeply as he rested his chin on his arms. _I..I guess-no, that's not right._ "I do deserve this." he muttered, and the brief pause in stride was the only indication Predaking gave to acknowledge he heard him. "I'm not happy to pay the price, but I knew there would be no easy way out for what I've done. I'm honestly lucky to be alive right now." he paused, because there was no way he was willing to let his 'rival' believe he was confiding in him. "I still don't like you."

"Oh, believe me when I say you are the _last_ bot I'd want in my arms right now."

As they crossed over the hill, a sharp shrieking pierced the air and Predaking stilled instantly. Knock Out thought they'd been had, and he twisted around to check the area, but his optics widened as they landed on the base of the hill's other side.

Grimwing knelt down catch a strange black creature that flapped its wings awkwardly, its optics glaring at them. "It's okay," he said and stroked a digit down the creature's back, where it slowly calmed its screeches, "you did good, you kept Cinder safe while I was gone. These two are no threat to her."

"And," Predaking began, a bit stilted in his confusion, "what _is_ this...creature?"

"Blackbeak." Grimwing said. "He was split from me during my incubation, but truthfully I know not of his this occured. Shockwave though wanted to," his features finally showed some anger, " _study_ him. He was one of the reasons I decided to leave," he nodded to the tube behind him, "Cinder was another-I did not like the idea of her being forced to just be someone's tool."

Knock Out eyed the hulking form in the chamber. "I find it highly doubtful anyone could control her."

Grimwing smiled, but it was bitter. "Shockwave made modifications to each of us, I suppose in order of what use we could be to his plans. I am intelligent because I was to be his lab assistant, but Cinder was not, only to be our other sister Circuit's blunt object if her siphon claw did not get us back in line."

"Between this Circuit and Skystalker, sounds like Shockwave made a nasty bunch." Knock Out said.

Grimwing snorted. "They are, but I have no reading on Darksteel and Skylynx, nor on Lazerback-who went rogue shortly before I left-and the seeker is only annoying-"

"Seeker?" Both Knock Out and Predaking interrupted, and glanced at each other before looking away.

Grimwing furrowed his optic ridges. "Yes, I believe his name is Starscream. He doesn't treat us very well, and he paradoxially listens to Shockwave while insulting him. It's quite strange. Do you know him?"

"Sounds like Starscream to me." Knock Out muttered, while Predaking's answer suggested he was scowling as he said, "Yes, I know very well of his treatment."

Slowly, the dragon mech vented as he calmed himself down. "Perhaps we should continue to this conversation with the Autobots. They are...protecting," and Knock Out didn't miss the underlining edge in his voice, "Jack, and it would be best if we hurried to their location and explained this to them. With your information, it could very well up them put up defenses."

Grimwing looked pensive for a moment, but closed his optics and gave a reluctant nod. "Yes, it would. I-I don't like the thought of using one's strength to overpower someone." he said, and began to make his way back to 'Cinder' as he called her, Blackbeak in servo.

Predaking tilted his head, and he glanced at Knock Out. "If I untie you, are you going to try and run away?"

Knock Out knew this 'concern' was only an echo of Grimwing's proclamation, so he answered just as flippantly. "Without a doubt."

Letting out a quiet huff, Predaking continued down the hill without another word.


	12. Chapter 12

Lazerback's roar echoed off the ruined laboratory, his optics flaring red as he stared at the broken console, sparks flying off and his fists clenched so hard he felt the metal dent and energon bead. Constructing the space bridge was one thing, gathering the pieces and energon from leftover corpses to fuel it.

The console though, it had _everything_ on it. His way to Earth was set back, and Ripclaw yet again alluded from his claws.

His optics narrowed. Lazerback had thought of what he'd ultimately do once he got Ripclaw, and he was torn between making him his and murdering him to keep everyone else from having him.

Now there was no doubt in his mind. Ripclaw needed to die, but of course that didn't mean he couldn't have his fun first. Lazerback slowly smiled, frame relaxing as the thoughts overtook. Shockwave had no idea what he'd actually achieved; only to make him a 'bodyguard' for himself, with that fool Predaking as a template, but in doing so didn't realize Lazerback had not only been aware during the last stages of incubation, but he...

 _...had his memories._ He could _remember_ time before the Cataclysm, realized that once the haze of fury wore away he recalled the _real_ Predaking. This clone was surely as much a disappointment, and Lazerback had no intention of following this reborn 'king'. They all took what they wanted, whether it be the energon they ate from their prey, or taking their pleasure when they needed release, though breeding season did lend itself to _a_ willing Predacon or two from time to time.

And there Ripclaw was, all by himself on Earth just ripe for the taking.

Lazerback surveyed the crude space bridge. It was still intact, with only the console needing to be repaired. Which would take _time_ , and more parts than he could gather. It was the only option to conclude, but he needed to move his space bridge out, find a more private place and gather the key components to restart the console. _I can salvage the parts; you have only stalled the inevitable for a little while longer, Autobots._

* * *

One by one, a beast came trotting-or _slithering_ in Circuit's case-in, but when Grimwing failed to arrive in a timely fashion, Starscream snorted. "How disappointing your little assistant is unable to keep up."

"He was transporting Cindersaur by root form, it is only logical for him to be slower." Shockwave didn't sound concerned. "He will arrive when he does. Let us prepare for our point of attack."

Circuit straightened up, her draconic features fixed on Shockwave as her tail swished behind her. Skystalker stood beside her rigidly, while Darksteel and Skylyx were morose and edgy. Bloodthirsty wretches.

"Due to Skystalker's bait and switch tactic, it is probable they'll be expecting the same again. The most obvious solution is to use stealth this time, draw in close and sneak aboard." Shockwave brushed away the grime from the lab's console, uploading the information onto it from a data stick. "Skystalker, I will upload the specs of the Nemesis into your GPS, giving you the last updated layout of the ship and shield you from it's detection. The rest of you will provide backup; stay in contact with each other and inform me of when you have reached Earth."

Skystalker nodded, and once he received the information via data port, Circuit led them out of the lab.

Starscream looked skeptically at Shockwave. "Do you really expect this to work?"

"In every plan there a margin for error, depending on certain variables." Shockwave replied.

The seeker scowled. "You didn't answer my question."

He wasn't really surprised by now that the scientist just ignored him.

* * *

Jack was woken from recharge by the rush of people running past his door. His fins twitched, and he leaned around the opening, but they passed the corner before he could call them. What was going on? There weren't any alarms blaring, so it couldn't have been something to be worried about-right?

Getting to his pedes, Jack risked going out of the room. True, he wasn't _supposed_ to, but it wasn't like he was leaving the base to go frolic in the desert. _It would be nice though, just to control this EMP thing._ He only knew the bare fraction of what his howl did, and couldn't experiment with anything specific for fear of knocking everything out again.

He didn't even know if Ratchet was supposed to still be _awake_ when he got hit by the pulse. If his howl wasn't weak and that was a deliberate function, Jack's not-stomach churned at the horrifying implications. _Did...did it mean the prey was still awake when...they were eaten?_ Energon rose in his throat, and Jack was yet again freaked out by something he learned about Predacons.

Two sharp engines being gunned brought Jack to reality, and he furrowed his optic ridges as he wondered why people were driving in the hall- his optics widened, incredulity and joy making his spark leapt into his throat.

A Camaro and motorcycle swerved at the corner, and both screeched to a halt just short of his pedes. Jack stared at them both, at the yellow car and the blue bike. "'B-Bee? Arcee?" he whispered. "Are you really here or am I dreaming?" _If this is a dream, my mind really hates me._

The two vehicles transformed, into the forms of Arcee and Bumblebee. The femme stepped forward, looking back at him, her expression tense, but something fond in her gaze.

"Yeah, it's us. Miss us, partner?"

The dam broke, and for the second time coolant pooled in his optics. With blurry vision, Jack lunged forward, his arms pulling both bots to his chest and lifting them off their pedes. "You have no i-idea." his voice cracked with static, but he didn't care.

Just for a moment he felt things were right with the world.

"Jack?" And the moment was over, as Bumblebee began to squirm. "Uh, you can put us down now. I did _not_ forget how tight you could hug." His voice was teasing though.

Jack's face heated, and he set them back on the floor. Right, this was great and all but- "How are you both here? Did someone try to bridge here and they sent you off course? Why were you running from the personnel?"

Bumblebee and Arcee shared a glance, and Jack's not-stomach churned as he saw the seriousness of the gaze. Something wasn't right.

"We weren't running-well, not from the humans." Bumblebee started. "We hailed Fowler on our way here, and we explained that a space bridge accident happened."

"An accident?" Jack echoed, his spark pulsing wildly. His mind began to think of the worst, but Arcee cut off the thoughts sharply.

"There was no time to explain the full situation over the line, so we told him that to settle things down. We were let into the unit, and came here as fast as we could." she gestured to the console inside. "We need to contact Optimus, it's urgent we tell him what's been happening."

"Maybe you shouldn't be around to hear it though-" Bumblebee began, but Jack cut him off this time.

"No, I can handle it." he said firmly.

Arcee vented deeply, and she hurried up to the computer and soon enough, the screen lit with static, clearing until Ratchet was staring back. His optics widened, and his mouth dropped. Arcee waved it off. "Yeah, we're supposed to be looking for Shockwave's labs-that's how we got to Earth in the first place."

Ratchet's expression hardened. "I'll conference Optimus in." he paused, and nodded. "Go ahead, start from the beginning."

"We found the lab, it was in ruins but the lower level was still intact-kind of." Bumblebee rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyway, we searched the place, and found a make-shift space bridge of all things. It was going to be used by a -a-" he stopped, and glanced furtively at Jack.

Arcee tensed, and she carefully watched Jack's expression. "A Predacon."

Jack vented deeply at the mention, but he'd had enough time to process there were other Predacons now in existence. "I know about them. You can keep going-I promise I won't flip out." _Probably._

"We...don't know why the Predacon was going to use it," Arcee continued, her optics averted from Jack, "but since it's Shockwave's we can guess it was nothing good, especially from that fragger." she muttered.

"Right," Bumblebee looked uncomfortable, and he whirled in what seemed to be self-consciousness, "we couldn't let it go through with it, so we...blew up the console and used the space bridge and it sent us here." He rushed the rest out so fast Jack took a moment to process it, 'Bee's doorwings twitching distractingly all the while.

Ratchet though had a quite vocal reply. "You did what?!" His optics blazed, blue burning nearly white. "Do you have _any_ idea of how dangerous what you both did was? To use such an unsafe, untested equipment. You're both lucky you weren't spit out in _pieces_. How irresponsible you both-"

"Ratchet," Optimus interjected, his voice booming but his tone calm, "calm down my friend, and let us here their reasoning. Surely they would not have attempted such a dangerous thing without a good-or at the very least valid-reason."

Ratchet vented deeply, his expression one of forced tranquility. "Well? What was it?"

The yellow mech and blue femme looked at each other, and the latter answered with, "The Predacon had our exit blocked, and it wouldn't have let us out. We-no, _I_ -knew it was stupid, foolhardy, and I take full responsibility for my actions, but I wasn't going to risk that Predacon getting to Earth."

"While it is true your actions were rash, you deprived a dangerous enemy from any tactical advantage." Optimus said. "It would be best if you both returned to Cybertron though, so we may regroup and plan our next move."

"And give me the chance to make sure nothing was thrown out of order." Ratchet muttered.

Bumblebee looked sad, his doorwings dropping. "Well, Optimus, I was wondering if-"

"You're leaving already?"

Jack froze, watching as 'Bee did the same while Arcee tensed. The Predacon glanced down at the door, where Raf was standing and looked up at the yellow mech with sorrow-filled eyes. "Raf, how long were you standing there?" Jack asked quietly.

"Long enough." Raf answered just as softly, and Jack wanted to slap himself. Why hadn't he noticed earlier?

Bumblebee made his way over to the boy, and knelt down in front of him. He smiled sadly at him. "So, I see you've been growing. You hitting you're growth spurt?"

Raf made a strangled noise, between a snort and sob, but just as broken. "I missed you, 'Bee."

Bumblebee ducked his head, optics downcast. "Missed you too, Raf. I wish I could stay, but we got-got big things going down on Cybertron right now." he held out his digit, tilting his head. "Rain check? For now at least?"

Raf hiccupped, and wiped away a stray tear. "I-I guess that's all that can said, isn't it?" he sounded morose, but reached out to hug the digit. "I'll take what I can though, but-but you'd better keep your promise."

Bumblebee sad smile only grew. "I'll do my best, buddy." he waited until Raf let go, and nodded at Arcee.

The femme vented. "We'll be there in a klik." she said and the screen went dark. She glanced back at Jack, who met her gaze. "I'll see you around, partner."

"I'll hold you to it." Jack replied, and he knelt down next to Raf as the green glow appeared. He kept his optics from the gate, to stop himself from seeing his friends from leaving again. "It'll be okay, Raf."

The boy sighed. "It's just hard to-" he stopped and his jaw dropped. "Miko!"

Jack's head whipped up, and his spark leapt into his throat as he caught the tail of the girl's pigtails and boots going through the portal. "Not this again!" he shot after the girl, his body reacting before his mind caught up, but by the time he did-Jack's optics were wide as he found himself back in the dark walls of the Nemesis.

Panic settled in, but he caught the incredulous stares of Bumblebee, Arcee and Ratchet looking at him-no, not _him_ , and Jack turned his gaze down and saw Miko was looking around excitedly, his not-stomach sinking as he realized she had the Apex Armour strapped to her back. _How the hell did she even get that? Where did she get it?_

Frustration welled up inside of him. _This is not one aspect of my life from before I miss._ "Things might have changed, but I thought you at least were less reckless now. You are _soo_ lucky the Autobots never turned the air cycle off."

Miko put her hands on her hips as she glowered up at him. "You got to see Arcee, Raf got to see 'Bee, why don't I get to see Bulkhead?"

Ratchet rubbed his brow. "Of all the-do you not understand the severity of the situation?"

Miko crossed her arms, but she looked tensed. "I do understand, but I can help! You know I can hold my own-I'm a Wrecker after all!" she pulled the armour off her back. "Especially with this."

"No, you are going back to Earth and-now what?" Ratchet let out a frustrated groan as the perimeter alarm blared, and Ratchet clicked it off as his digits flew over the keypad. He narrowed his optics. "Optimus, we have a," he glanced at Miko, _"two_ situations. There's several signatures incoming from the north. Could be trouble-"

"Or it could be Bulkhead!" Miko yelled, her expression lighting up.

Jack let out a strangled noise as the girl promptly ran from the room. He groaned and rubbed his brow just as Ratchet did. "I got this, looks like I'll always have this." he grumbled. As he followed after Miko, he _did_ pity her-the reality of it might have been unfair, that Jack and Raf got to see their guardians while Miko didn't. _That's probably what most of her pestering about seeing Cybertron's about, she just wants to see Bulkhead._

To see her 'Wrecker teammates'. Jack wouldn't admit it to her, but...it must have been nice to be accepted. To be lost and find people you can be yourself with-and Miko fit right in with Bulkhead and Wheeljack. _Though I still don't know what to make of Ultra Magnus._

Come to think of it, where _was_ he and Smokescreen? Where was Optimus for that matter?

Just what was going on?

* * *

It was almost pathetically easy to reverse the signal of the GPS to _find_ the Nemesis. Skystalker told his minions and Circuit to stay hidden, to only attack if his cover was blown. They reluctantly agreed, especially Darksteel who was itching to get into another scrap with the Autobots.

He'd been put in his place quickly enough, and Skystalker made his way to the underside of the Nemesis, locating a spot with big enough space for him to get in through. Where there were no cameras, to be more precise.

Skystalker blew over the metal, his ice breath spreading along it rapidly, cracking the hull. He pressed his claws into the ice, and the plating pulled back under the force of his tugging. He gripped the edge with both servos before pulling himself in quickly, and listened for any echo of him boarding the ship.

Satisfied, Skystalker transformed back into his root mode. He used the GPS to find a camera-less path to take to the command center where the space bridge was likely located. He paused as once he reached the outside hall, light clacks rang out, as though someone was running along the floor at a rapid pace.

Loud steps followed, and a voice rang out, which sent a shot of heat pooling into his lower abdomen. "Miko, come on, is this necessary? You can see Bulkhead later!"

Skystalker slowly smirked, his optics gleaming. _Ripclaw, my mate, you're actually here._ He quickened his pace to the corner, where the height of the smaller paces was at, and he scooped up a strange flesh creature. Was this Ripclaw's pet?

It stared at him, its jaw dropped and its gooey optics wide. If Ripclaw was looking for this creature, it stood to logically assume this thing was important to him. Perfect. He wrapped his digits around it, and looked up as the louder steps finally halted-and there was Ripclaw.

He was so beautiful, more than a picture could truly do him justice. His coloring had changed, but it only served to make him more radiant. Ripclaw's features were open with shock as he looked- _truly saw him-_ at him.

And then his optics looked at the flesh creature, and he scowled. "Predacon," he growled, "let her go."

Skystalker deduced his assumption had been correct. This fleshling meant something to him, and his digits tightened just a fraction to make it squeak.

"Yeah, let me go!" It shouted, shrill voice grating on his audios.

"If you want this creature to live, you'll come with me." Skystalker said calmly.

Ripclaw glared at him, blue optics burning bright. He looked around at the walls, and scowled. The creature tried to dissuade him, struggling to tug the strange pack attached to its back but his digit had it pinned in place. Ripclaw's jaw clenched. "Fine."

Skystalker's spark pulsed, but he refused to show any lapse in control. He was so close. "Come here." he ordered, and he smothered the smirk as Ripclaw obediently made his way over. His optics burned again as his servo clamped onto his shoulder. _I'm finally touching you._

"Jack, don't do this-use your howl on him and knock his aft out!"

Skystalker's optics narrowed as Ripclaw vented sharply. _An EMP howl?_ It explained Ripclaw's refusal to use it _now_ , if the Autobots were onboard as well, it would send the Nemesis crashing into the city below. Still, such a weapon was useless if he couldn't _use it._

With that in mind, Skystalker wrapped his other servo around Ripclaw's back, the fleshling pressed close to be a warning. Ripclaw went rigid, but his other servo grabbed his mate's neck and smashed their lips together.

Skystalker basked in the moment, the feel of Ripclaw in his arms, their lips pressed together. More heat pooled within him, his groin becoming tight. _You're mine, there's no reason to keep this pet._

With that in mind, Skystalker flung out his servo, the creature being sent flying through the air. His optics widened in a moment of incredulity as bulky armour slid over the small form, and a loud _crash_ collided with the opposite hall.

Ripclaw struggled to get out of his grip, and the creature glared at him fiercely from behind the glass of its mechanoid cockpit. "Miko!"

"Don't worry, Jack, I'll save you!" The creature retorted, and lumbered as it got to its pedes.

Skystalker might have been surprised, but he had his prize. His arms tightened around Ripclaw, and he unfurled his wings to launch his cryodiscs at the form, temperature set to freeze it and shatter.

The discs landed on their mark, but Skystalker's optics widened as the mechanoid still lumbered at them, even with the glass frozen over.

Skystalker scowled, but dragged Ripclaw with him back through the room gotten onboard in. The creature raced past them blindly, and he leaned down to nuzzle his cheek against Ripclaw's.

His mate snarled and tried to snap his jaws at him.

Skystalker's frame coiled tight, rumbling deep in his chest as he realized how _feisty_ Ripclaw was. _A fitting prize indeed_.

Ripclaw recoiled from his touch as his servo slid along his waist. "Don't touch me you- _ahhh!"_ he screamed as Skystalker tossed him through the hole in the floor.

Skystalker jumped through, transforming as back to beast mode and caught Ripclaw in his talons. : _I have Ripclaw, let's go.:_


	13. Chapter 13

He was hungry, and the corpses he had were already deprived of what fuel he could get for the space bridge. With that in mind, Lazerback made his way out of the ruins, transforming into beast mode and inhaling deeply.

He kept at it, until impossibly he found a scent of bot, the call of fresh energon. Had he been capable currently, he would have grinned. The scent was on the move too, and it called forth primal instinct.

Lazerback sprinted along the ground, optics sharp as he followed after the trail-and abruptly more scents followed after it. More food? Well, he could eat one now and save the rest for later. If his prey was mobile, a well aimed shot could be enough to give him the element of surprise at the very least.

Clawing over an incline, Lazerback glared down at the sight of a black and purple bot with a red visor for a face running, wrists bound with a rope made of energon. What a waste of food. Lazerback narrowed his optics as the prey ducked over a small ditch engraved beneath him.

Engines rang out, and Lazerback looked over sharply as a white vehicle with green and red accents drove into view with a larger green vehicle. Both transformed, and the smaller one looked around leisurely, a self-assured smirk on his face.

"How many did we catch so far? Ten-twenty? You'd think they weren't even trying to get away."

The larger green mech shook his head. "Not even a real challenge. Still, someone's gotta do it, right?"

The smaller bot laughed. "Right." his chuckles died down, and his lips twisted grimly. "What I wouldn't give though to get back at those Preds though."

Lazerback tensed up, optics narrowing further. As if their Autobot-ness wasn't apparent enough, that was before he spotted the red decals they wore.

The green mech blinked, and his servo hovered over the other bot's shoulder before falling back to his side. "We find Shockwave, and we find the Predacons. The others just need a bit more time to find his labs."

The white mech scowled. "That's the problem, not enough time, huh?" he looked at the green bot, who could do no more than shrug.

The prey stepped back, but his pede kicked a small piece of debris, and instantly both Autobots were on alert. Lazerback wanted to scowl, but he settled for firing a missile instead, aiming it straight for the Autobots. The Predacon jumped down the hill and made a break for the prey that was trying to run, lunging forward to catch him by the leg and causing him to trip up.

His paw pressed down on the leg, claws digging into the metal as energon beaded, the lovely smell practically calling to him. Lazerback heard the explosion his missile caused, but the wrecking ball slamming into his side caught him off guard. He growled low in his throat as he collided with the hill, the fragile structure crumpling under his weight. He managed to avoid being thrown down the crevice as the debris gave way.

The green mech scowled at him, while the smaller white one pulled two swords off his back. "You think a little missile is enough to take us out?" The smaller one asked.

Lazerback narrowed his optics. Perhaps this hunt would be more interesting than he thought.

* * *

Knock Out grumbled for the millionth time since Predaking picked him up, but if he were going to be honest it was only likely five times. _Still, maybe if he finds it irritating he'll finally put me down._ He glanced down, but aside from his already tight expression growing sterner, Predaking didn't seem about to put him down.

Knock Out vented, and his gaze trailed over to Grimwing, and that strange little creature perched on the rail of the incubator. It was creepy, he'd admit, to see something just so still and unmoving-did that creature inside just move? "Did my optics deceive me, or did your...sister?-just move?"

Grimwing blinked, and he gazed back at the large form inside the tube. "It would not be surprising, she is likely to hatch soon. I'd hoped to get her to safety before she emerged though."

"We are almost to the city," Predaking replied, "and I can just see the Nemesis in the distance-" he cut himself off, and halted all together. "What-no, how could this have happened?"

Knock Out's spark jumped in panic, because _Predaking_ sounded panicked. He turned around to see, and his optics widened. A draconic white and blue figure was flying out of the city in their direction. He was amazed they hadn't been spotted, but the dragon was likely to pre-occupied with the struggling figure in his claws-with a very familiar bi-pedal form. "The colors are wrong, but is that Jack?"

"I can smell him from here," Predaking said, his voice uncertain, "but he shouldn't be here. The Autobots are supposed to keep him safe, and they couldn't even do _that?_ " his optics flashed angrily.

"Jack went to Earth, but he must have come back." Knock Out didn't know if that was the truth or not, but it made the most sense. Not the 'he'd come back' part of course.

"We need to save him." Grimwing said, his expression fierce. "I will not allow him to endure the horrors my brother has planned for him."

"How do you plan on doing that? That flying lizard will see you coming even with Jack struggling!" Knock Out retorted, but his spark dropped as Predaking's optics narrowed.

"I have an idea." he said, and Knock Out was startled when the Predacon pulled him from his shoulder to cradle him in his arms. Predaking smiled mockingly as he leaned in close to press their foreheads together. "It's something even you couldn't fail at."

Knock Out scowled at him, but the 'and what does _that_ mean' was at the tip of his glossa before Predaking's hold tightened around him, and the red mech's optics widened as the larger mech turned and- _"IIII haaate yooooou!"_

The red mech was thrown into the air, everything going by in a blur of color until he crashed into Skystalker's solid head. The dragon screeched, shaking as his form slackened. Knock Out caught Jack's incredulous stare for a moment-before he began to fall, and Skystalker's claws lost their gripping and Jack fell as well.

Knock Out stared as Predaking shot past him, claws grabbing Jack securely. He scowled as he could do nothing but wait to hit the ground. _Of course,_ he thought morosely, but jolted as two arms wrapped over his frame and he found himself slowing down and looked up to find Grimwing had caught him. "You- _why?"_

Grimwing tilted his head, but didn't reply until he was back on the ground, and transformed back into bi-pedal mode. "It would have been wrong to let you crash."

Knock Out's spark squirmed uncomfortably in his chest. "Believe me, after what I've done, letting me fall is the least I deserve." he muttered, but with extreme discomfort, he said, "Thank you" awkwardly.

The moment was over when Predaking set Jack down and the newly colored Predacon scowled as he eyed them, his frame tense. "What are you doing here?" he demanded, but his gaze turned so furious when they landed on Knock Out the red mech was surprised they hadn't changed to green. "How did _you_ escape?"

"I..." Knock Out found himself trailing off, unable to bring himself to say what he had to Predaking. "It's a blur."

Jack snorted in disdain, but his optics were only wary as he looked at Grimwing. "And you?"

"I don't wish to follow Shockwave, and I came to warn you about what he has planned." Grimwing replied.

Jack's expression tightened, and wiped his lips in disgust. "I kinda figured something was wrong when that creep kissed and felt me up."

"He did _what?"_ Predaking demanded, but flinched when Jack glared at him.

"Don't act like you were any different," he said, shoulders tense, "you might have gotten better in the end, but I still remember how much of a jerk you were." he added, and Predaking's expression became contrite.

Knock Out froze in place when Jack turned his glare on him, and they both knew there didn't need to be anything said- _I don't forgive you_ seemed to be what the glare told him. He didn't get a 'you got better in the end too', and Knock Out knew he didn't deserve one.

A harsh landing drew their attention, and Skystalker growled before transforming back to bi-pedal mode. He glared at them, yellow optics bright. "Not only do I find the rogue, or the annoyance, but also a traitor as well," his optics narrowed at Grimwing, but the Predacon only jerked his chin up in defiance, "Shockwave will deal with you, once you're all taken in."

Predaking tensed as he stepped forward, coming to stand in front of them. Knock Out hesitated to call it a protective move though. "You will not take Jack, nor Grimwing, Blackbeak and Cindersaur-or even Knock Out. You are alone and outnumbered; a fight will only end in your defeat."

"Is that?" Skystalker questioned. "Perhaps that is correct, for logically there is not a true chance I could win-were I alone." Knock Out felt a chill run down his spinal strut as the words seemed to be some kind of signal-because above them _more_ Predacons came flying in, landing behind Skystalker in beast mode. "Now that the odds are more evenly stacked, do you still feel as though you truly have a chance?"

Knock Out saw the odds for what they were, even with the numbers on both sides evened out-there's no way they'd stand a chance. _I couldn't even hold my own against Skystalker._ "I'd be useless," he muttered, "and so would Jack unless he's gotten some training." Jack's scowl told him all he needed to know.

"Nonetheless," Predaking tensed, his frame coiling, "you will not be taking any of them."

"Even now you would fight a losing battle?" Skystalker shook his head. "You bring this upon yourself."

Jack growled. "I should have risked using my EMP howl in the air and took this smug bastard down."

Knock Out's optics widened. _A way to even the odds...but not without sacrifice._ "Jack," he said quietly, "I know you don't like me," Jack snorted, "but you need to use your howl now."

Jack sent him a furious and incredulous stare. "Why would I do that? Why would I ever listen you?"

"Look, use your howl, we go down and you can escape." Knock Out said, his voice low to avoid drawing attention. "The one thing I think we can all agree on is we don't want you to get hurt-well, Grimwing wanted to protect his sister, but still, you were in that line of thought."

Jack glared down at him, his frame stiff, but when the opposing Predacons began to charge, his jaw clenched. He vented in deep, and he howled-it was a low, echoing sound that shook his down to his spark. The world slowly turned sideways as he dropped to his, and he watched Shockwave's Predacons drop face first into the ground. It would have been funny, but this was no laughing matter.

Predaking and Grimwing also collapsed, and Jack began to sprint, but he paused. It was with no great surprise that Jack turned back and began to drag Cindersaur's container along with him. What made Knock Out want to blink was how Jack stopped at Grimwing's side and struggled to throw the Predacon over the rail, before dragging him along on the transport.

 _Well, that's surprising, but Grimwing_ is _the only 'good' Predacon right off the bat Jack has met,_ Knock Out thought, but the further away Jack and the others grew, the more he began to wonder what exactly was going to happen now.

What's going to happen when this EMP wears off?


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry about my absence; I've been getting my teeth pulled and it's left me drained. Also sorry about the chapter length, but I'm trying to get back into the groove of things.**

* * *

In record time, Jack wondered what possessed him to listen to _Knock Out_ of all-people, bots? He supposed the latter was more appropriate- _something_. The worst part was the guilt creeping up his not-spine the further he got from the pile of Predacons and Knock Out lying on the ground. He didn't _want_ to feel guilty, because it felt too much like forgiving everything that happened to him _because_ of Predaking and Knock Out. It was just too early to forget, much less think about forgiveness.

 _Predaking at least apologized_ , Jack reluctantly reminded himself and his optics glanced back at the container he was pulling along. The only thing he could agree with Knock Out about was these three Predacons-was the bird creature one though? He'd have to make sure later- were blameless in what happened to him.

Jack's posture slowly began to unwind the further into the ruined city he got. Sure, the decrepit buildings and jutting spikes were off-putting, but hopefully the Autobots were out looking for him if Miko told them what happened. Jack grimaced. _Unless Miko decided to come after me by herself-which unfortunately sounds a lot like something she'd do._

Jack tensed back up, and hoped beyond everything that this was _not_ the case. _Please let me be wrong_. He tugged the trolley along at a faster rate, and his helm fins twitched as he heard the crunch of metal dust and his optics narrowed as he spotted a vehicle driving some distance away. The colors threw him off, but he remembered who had the yellow and blue paintjob.

His spark raced. "Smokescreen! Over here!" he cupped his mouth to echo it, not even caring if this worked or not. Jack's tail swished, and his face heated when he realized it began wagging. _Damn it, get a hold of yourself,_ he chastised himself, but couldn't help the smile that crossed his lips when Smokescreen screeched to a halt.

The mech transformed and his expression was incredibly relieved. "You're okay!" he came rushing up, but stopped short when he saw what else Jack brought. "Uh, you do know there's some Predacons with you, right?"

Jack nodded. "I brought them with me-just know they're alright." Well, he'd have to take Grimwing's words at face value, but just once Jack would like to trust his instincts. "Two of them are, the third's kinda still cooking it looks like."

Smokescreen grimaced. "I can see that." His lips twisted back into a smile, if strained due to such proximity to unknown Predacons. "It's good to see you're alright." He repeated.

Jack nodded. "I'm glad to be alright." _All things considered_ , because he could not get that creep's touch to fade no matter how hard he tried to forget. He shook his head to distract himself. "So can I take it that everyone else is out looking for me too?"

"Yeah, almost had to go looking for you _and_ Miko too." Smokescreen said, and Jack looked at him incredulously. The mech must have picked up on it, as he continued with, "Optimus heard the noise apparently where you were kidnapped and came across Miko about to go after you."

"Well it's a good thing he stopped her." Jack replied.

Smokescreen chuckled lightly. "If it were anyone else I don't think she would have listened."

Jack grinned slightly. "You can't say no Optimus Prime." he tilted his head. "So what happened with Miko? Did someone put her through the ringer?"

"Arcee ripped her one," Smokescreen winced in sympathy, "and Miko was stuck with Ratchet watching her while everyone else went out to look for you-which I should probably tell them!" he sheepishly held a digit to his audio. "Hey, I found Jack; he's alright, but he's got some…company. No, it's not our escapee, but you should hold off from flipping out." He pulled his digit away, and held it out to Jack.

Jack raised an optic ridge, but as cheesy as it was, Jack would take it. He fist-bumped Smokescreen. "When you wanted to hang out, I don't think this is what you meant."

Smokescreen smiled at him, and if a little hesitant, came to stand beside him. Jack's ridge raised further as Smokescreen took hold of the rail as well. "What? Just thought I'd help lighten the load, gotta be hard lugging this cart by yourself."

Jack's spark hummed, genuinely touched by the consideration. "Thank you."

Smokescreen nodded. "Now let's go, everyone's meeting up just ahead."

* * *

Slowly, Knock Out found himself rebooting, his systems registering a startling loss of energon but he found no wound-he should know, the last thing he remembered was that slippery-looking Predacon striking him in the shoulder. He groaned, but as awareness returned, he found his arms wouldn't move.

Knock Out frowned. _The EMP wore off, why can't I…_ his spark dropped when he looked down. He was lying sideways up on a slab, his wrists and legs strapped down. "What the frag?" he pulled his wrist, but even if knew it was pointless that didn't stop him from trying.

"So you've awoken."

Knock Out stiffened, his optics seeking out the large figure standing beside a terminal. He squinted, but knew who it was-he'd recognize that voice anywhere. "Shockwave?" He smiled in a deliberately disarming way. "Is this really anyway to treat a comrade?" His spark pulsed rapidly when the mech's singe optic locked impassively on him. _Does he know? How could he know?_

Then Shockwave looked back at the terminal screen. "Merely a precaution. I had not wanted you to move while I examined you."

"Then why don't you let me go? I could be of more help to you unbound." Knock Out replied, but Shockwave didn't reply for a moment.

"No, you wouldn't." he finally said. "You would in fact be very resistant to the idea."

Knock Out's spark dropped. "What are you talking about? What's going on? We're on the same side!"

"Science does not have a side." Shockwave replied, cold and even. "Starscream would have sufficed, but you would be better suited for this. The logical flip-side of Predacon reproduction."

The red mech did not like where this was going. "You need Ripclaw, don't you? He's not here though."

"I am aware of that." Shockwave said, and if Knock Out didn't know it weren't possible, he thought the scientist seemed irritated. "Clones are a rather fragile endeavor-genetically speaking-because they cannot pass on their CNA material without it degrading-were it with another clone."

"So is this why you were so fixated on J-Ripclaw? Because without him being the carrier you can't get genetic stability?" Knock Out questioned. "What does this have to do with me?"

"I am in the process of attempting to synchronize Ripclaw's CNA with a modern Cybertronian sample. Therefore, to ensure the best results, it would also need to be established if a modern Cybertronian could carry a Predacon to term."

Knock Out thought for a moment his spark stopped. There were all manner of things that came to mind, but the first thing he said was, "I always knew you didn't like me."

 _He's fragging insane!_ Was the understandable second.


	15. Chapter 15

Opening his optics, Predaking was drowsy, the last infuriating image ingrained in his mind before blacking out the sight of that slippery-looking Predacon jabbing a claw into his shoulder. And despite his light-headedness, the sight of a blue and white Predacon gazing down at him, a rush of fury filled him. _Skystalker_. "You..." he growled, both at the Predacon and the fact he still sounded out of it.

Skystalker snorted, chin jerked up haughtily. "Look at you; Shockwave's first success-you were supposed to _be_ something, but now you're nothing." he said coldly. Then an unsettling smirk appeared on his lips. "But do not worry," he said softly, leaning in close, " _I_ will take good care of Ripclaw."

Predaking snarled, infuriated even further by the reinforced straps holding him down. His head still spun, but he focused his glare on Skystalker's widening smirk. "You disgust me."

"The feeling is mutual." The other Predacon retorted, optics narrowing. "You had your chance, and you wasted it."

"I would reiterate what I told you when we met the first time, but I feel it would be nothing but just as wasted on you as well." Predaking muttered. His optics narrowed as the door slid open, and a sleek, bright green and yellow-winged Predacon in root mode walked in. Predaking was not sure which one it was, but he recognized them as being the one who rendered him unconscious. That was enough to earn his ire. "Are you here to torture me?"

"Don't be so dramatic." The green Predacon said in a low, raspy voice, but the distinct feminine edge made Predaking realize this must have been 'Circuit.' She smiled at him, but it was too wide-too _forced_. "We would not hurt you, brother. Oh no, our creator is going to get you the help you so desperately need."

Predaking narrowed his optics, even more on edge when Circuit came to walk around to his side. Skystalker backed away silently, his gaze flickering between them. The fact he was deferring made Predaking take Circuit as the more serious threat. "Help? Tell me then, how will he _help?"_

Circuit stopped by his side, her optics becoming half-lidded. "First, you'll go to sleep," she cooed sweetly, "then he'll find where your personality and memory circuits are," she reached out, and the tips of her claws stroked his cheek, "and when you wake you'll be the perfect Predacon that Shockwave intended you to be."

Predaking jerked away from her touch, revulsion filling him at her words. "I will not go back to being a mindless beast!"

Circuit's expression was blasé, and she held his helm with both of her servos. "Mindless, perhaps," she shrugged, "but not a beast." Her red optics glinted. "You will every bit as strong and powerful as you were before that abomination poisoned your processor."

Predaking furrowed his optic ridges, but he growled when he realized who she meant. "You will not speak of Ripclaw in such a way."

"She's only jealous," Skystalker whispered, his lips twisting into another smirk as Circuit stiffened, her arms falling to her side and servos curling into fists, "because Shockwave wants to frag Ripclaw but not her."

Predaking's expression twisted in disgust, because in hindsight it made sense. It made him wonder just when Shockwave's 'for science' mentality changed with regards to Jack.

"You will be silent on matters you do not understand." Circuit retorted.

Skystalker sneered back at her. "When Shockwave made me, he did so with trying to replicate his own persona. Therefore, when taking that into account and the fact I am the only one in the new batch who can breed Ripclaw, the logical conclusion is that Shockwave designed me specifically because he could not frag Ripclaw himself."

Quick as a flash, Predaking's optics widened as Circuit's tail shot out, and the siphon claw smashed itself across Skystalker's face. The white and blue Predacon touched his cheek, but vented harshly before glaring at Circuit and taking his leave.

When Circuit looked back at Predaking, her expression was cold. "Do not believe a word he says, he only wishes to see himself as more important than he _thinks_ he is because our creator is letting him have Ripclaw first." She snorted, her features twisting in disgust. "As if our glorious creator would ever entertain the notion of laying with the abomination." Then she looked upon Predaking with pity. "Though do not worry, for this procedure will erase the abomination's influence, and you won't care about him at all anymore."

Predaking's optics widened. To be back in that state as he was in the beginning, waiting for Jack to change, not listening to what he said, wanting to mate with him and never once caring if _he_ wanted it too…

 _You're wrong, that_ is _being little more than a beast._

* * *

When the horror had passed – no, not _passed,_ just became bearable – Knock Out realized the huge flaw in Shockwave's 'logic'. Could it even be called that anymore? "Predacons and modern Cybertronians aren't compatible in reverse. Making a Predacon capable of carrying a modern bot's sparkling is one thing, but how do you expect me to carry something when there's nothing _there?_ "

Shockwave still looked unnervingly calm. "When I was not researching Predacon biology, I was in tandem looking into how modern Cybertronians evolved. It is fact we are now incapable of carrying newsparks due to emergence chambers being evolved out."

"Yes, and even when we had them they were connected to our _sparks_. I went to an academy too." Knock Out snapped. "Given you put in your notes on the Nemesis the spark energy in both Predaking and J _-Ripclaw_ was too dangerous to mix with a modern bot without shorting the latter's spark out, I don't see how your flip-side plan could work."

"In your quest to dissuade me of achieving scientific advancement, you do not realize the depths to which Predacons and modern Cybertronians shared internal similarities." Shockwave explained.

Knock Out furrowed his optic ridges, but his spark pulsed rapidly when Shockwave approached him, and he yelped as the mech's hand cupped him between the legs. "What do you think you're doing? There's nothing down!"

Shockwave ignored him as he began to run his digits along the panel, the tips digging into a seam in the middle. Knock Out struggled to dislodge the invasive servo, but his legs were strapped down too tightly, and he could do no more than wriggle as the digits pressed into the seam, pushing down on the wires enough for it to _hurt._

"Let go of me!" Knock Out froze as a _click_ followed and he squeezed his optics shut as he felt the panel give way, the locking mechanism overridden by virtue of painful stimuli. It slid up, and the red mech glared at the scientist balefully. "If this is how you treat your comrades then no wonder you work alone."

"To counteract your previous assertion," Shockwave replied evenly, "there is in fact something down here."

Knock Out glared at him. "Of course I knew that, I'd have to be ignorant of my own body to not realize the panel could slide back." He retorted. "What I want to know is why you thought this was necessary!"

"So I may have the actual evidence to work with." Shockwave explained calmly. "I had originally been processing Starscream's CNA in secret to know if the effects of our evolution could be reversed and allow a resurgence of not only an emergence chamber, but as well as the spike and valve combination ancient Cybertronians used to possess. Perhaps even at one point Predacons and Cybertronians were compatible, and now you will help me prove that hypothesis."

Knock Out shook his head, incredulity coursing through him. "What the frag is wrong with you? Can you not hear how _unhinged_ you sound? Or how messed up this plan is?"

"You never cared when I brought it up on the Nemesis." Shockwave said bluntly. Knock Out flinched. "I recall how you looked forward to interfacing with Ripclaw; you will still have the option when he is returned to me, only in such a scenario he will be impregnating you."

Knock Out gritted his denta, but he didn't want to show just how much his opinions changed from the selfishness he'd displayed on the Nemesis. Nor show how fearful he was of how _psychotic_ Shockwave became. "You can say this all with certainty, but what does it really _achieve?"_

"Cybertron has been reborn, and with it comes new chances for discovery." Shockwave replied. "But along with renewal, there is also the obsolete; the cast-offs which had abandoned the planet, such as Starscream and yourself."

Knock Out scowled at him. "What about Megatron?"

"He is dead, as such he does not apply." Shockwave said calmly. "I, however, remained to continue working on progressing the Decepticon cause, but it was not long before I realized such illogic in doing so. Lord Megatron is dead, and with it his cause, therefore I was allowed to continue my research into Predacon cloning and entering a new stage of evolution."

"If you're trying to convince me you're not insane, then you're failing." Knock Out retorted.

"It matters not what you think, for once I have implemented the sequence to reverse your CNA to its primordia state and your emergence chamber resurfaces along with the breeding tube and valve, you may continue your complaining to Skystalker." Shockwave said.

Knock Out's optics widened, for everything the other mech said horrified him to his very spark. " _What?"_

"Skystalker is currently the only fertile Predacon, or would you prefer Predaking?" Shockwave inquired.

Knock Out scowled, his optics narrowed as he glared at the mech fiercely. His feelings had not changed-he wanted Jack, but he now realized the depths the Decepticons -and him- had screwed him up. _It's all my fault, if it weren't for me Shockwave would never have noticed you. I'm sorry, Jack._ He knew thinking it would never be enough, not until he was face to face with Jack and said it directly to him, but that didn't seem likely now. _If I have to choose…_

Knock Out closed his optics for a moment. "I want Predaking."

Shockwave nodded, and he picked up a large injection needle filled with energon and nanites, giving the mixture a murky silver blue. "Then I shall commence with the rejuvenation process."

The needle was jabbed into a seam on Knock Out's hip, and he began screaming as a slow, painful fire began to spread throughout his body.


	16. Chapter 16

These Autobots were a nuisance. Lazerback decided that even if his prey got too far away, he would gladly drain the energon from 'Wheeljack' and 'Bulkhead' as they called each other. The Predacon growled low in his throat as debris from one of his missile strikes had managed to nick the big green one's side plating, and his olfactory filled with the wonderful scent of energon. _More, more, gonna rip you both apart for it._

"This thing just won't stay down!" Bulkhead snapped, and Lazerback dodged the grenade Wheeljack threw at him.

"Even I'm getting tired of fighting." he replied. "Not so much fun when you can't get in close."

Lazerback's purple optics took in the terrain. There were huge craters in the ground from a mix of explosives and the green one's wrecking ball, while gouges littered the cliff side from his own claws and slashes of the smaller one's swords. The small cavern inside had been made into a bigger one thanks to his own missile being dodged. _Yes,_ he thought grudgingly, _this needs to end. I am wasting time fighting these fools._

With that in mind, Lazerback calculated the most efficient way to rid himself of the Autobots. He glanced at the distance between the Autobots and the cliff, and wished he could grin as a plan formed.

"Get ready Bulk', looks like it's on the prowl." Wheeljack warned as he crossed his swords.

Bulkhead only grunted in agreement as he warily watched Lazerback circle, purple optics sharp as he looked back upon the two Autobots.

Lazerback's muscles tensed as he shrieked, and charged at them head on. He swiped at the smaller one, but he was too quick and a sharp sting scraped his side as his sword slashed him. His other paw caught the green one's wrecking ball and tossed him into the cliffside cavern. The mech groaned as the walls rattled around him.

"Bulk!" Wheeljack shouted, and scowled at the Predacon. He jumped back and lobbed a grenade at it. His optics widened when Lazerback used his claw to redirect it at the green mech. "Look out!"

Bulkhead rolled up, and retracted his wrecking ball. Swinging it, he caught the grenade and punted it into the air where it exploded upon nothing. He vented in relief, but his spark constricted. "'Jackie, behind you!"

Wheeljack moved to swing his katanas too late, being caught in the back by the Predacon, and sent sailing through the air until he collided with Bulkhead.

Lazerback wasted no time in aiming, and fired a missile at the roof of the cavern. This time the mark hit true, and the entire cliff shook as metal shards both big and small rained down upon the Autobots. The ground beneath the two cracked further, and with enough force it gave way under them.

Lazerback savored the screams as the two Autobots disappeared down into the darkness, metal upon metal sealing the cavern. Internally he chuckled. He might not get to eat them, but there was still the other prey the two had so thoughtfully rounded up. Where did they say they had left the prisoners they caught?

No matter, Lazerback would find them all the same.

* * *

Jack didn't think it was possible, but his spark leapt with even more joy and relief than just when he met Smokescreen than seeing Arcee, Bumblebee and Optimus driving into the clearing Smokescreen said was the meet point.

Arcee transformed first, rushing up to him. She didn't hug him, and Jack would have found it awkward if she had, but she still looked him over. "Jack, are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Jack smiled, touched and a bit amused that he was so much taller but she still acted like he was human. The thought didn't sound patronizing, it sounded _normal_ , and he missed that. "I'm…relatively fine. Gonna need more sessions with Dr. Keen after this whole mess."

"Maybe Miko needs those too, she's got an unhealthy desire to prove herself." Bumblebee said, and he looked up at Jack. "Good to see you're alright."

Jack nodded, and found himself and Optimus to be more even height. Though looking into the Autobot leader's optics made him glance down as he knew this would be the one he'd have to convince. "Optimus, it's nice to see you."

The red and blue bot nodded. "And you, and I deeply regret not finding you on the ship sooner."

"It's okay, I-I got away." Jack said. He cleared his vents noisily. "There's something else I need to tell you. I-I think it's better if I show you."

"Jack, what's this about? Smokescreen sounded kind of edgy on the comm." Bumblebee said.

"You'll see." Jack said quietly as he led them to the back of the clearing. Faintly, he could hear Smokescreen speaking quietly, his voice sure-fire and cocky. It was a quick change from how anxious and panicky he was when Grimwing unexpected stirred. Luckily, Jack's presence kept the Predacon calm as Jack explained who Smokescreen was.

Hopefully Grimwing wouldn't be overwhelmed by so many Autobots, or at least Blackbeak wouldn't.

Then again, by the abrupt stopping of the three bots behind him, Jack carefully stepped in front of Grimwing and Cindersaur. "Look, I know what this looks like, but hear me out-"

"Jack, what are these Predacons doing here?!" Arcee demanded.

"How can you be so calm when they're part of Shockwave's group?" Bumblebee added.

"Grimwing isn't." Jack insisted. "He wanted to save his sister Cindersaur, the one in the tube, from Shockwave, and to warn me about what that creep was going to do." He explained. "I know it's a risk, but I believe him."

Arcee looked at Grimwing suspiciously, though her expression was a bit conflicted as Smokescreen was sitting beside him looking like he always did. She glanced at their leader. "Optimus?"

The Autobot vented deeply. "Jack, are you certain about this?"

Jack nodded, and gestured for Grimwing to step forward. "He said he has information on where Shockwave is."

Grimwing looked uncertain as he stood beside Jack. It was a bit of a difference from the self-assured way he stood before. "Before I deserted Shockwave, we were moving to a new location due to the compromise of the old lab as one of my brethren went rogue. Currently we do not know where he is."

"That's not good." Bumblebee muttered.

"Shockwave gave each of us a set of co-ordinates to the new lab. I do not know if they suspect I have abandon them, but I will give all the knowledge I have if it will bring Shockwave down." Grimwing's expression hardened. "He must be stopped."

"On that we are in agreement." Optimus said. He held a servo up to his helm. "Ratchet, open the groundbridge."

Arcee jolted. "Optimus, you aren't seriously just going to let an unknown onto the ship, are you?"

"No." Optimus replied. "Jack is going to return to the Nemesis. I will have Ratchet then bridge the rest of us to the co-ordinates that Grimwing will provide."

Grimwing blinked, but smiled slightly as he lowered his optics. He likely knew this was a huge gamble to trust him. "Of course." He then looked at Jack, and the wolf Predacon almost jumped in surprise when the other mech grabbed his servos and held them, his gaze beseeching. "I know this is much, but will you keep watch over my sister and Blackbeak?" he looked up at Optimus. "I know I must earn your trust, but Cinder and Blackbeak are innocent in all this."

Optimus considered the Predacon carefully. "Then you are on the right path."

Grimwing's smile widened, and he squeezed Jack's servos. "I hope I will also have the opportunity to show you I am unlike the other, more hostile Predacons."

"Right, but you're kinda pushing it now." Jack said as he eyed their joined servos.

Grimwing let him go immediately. "Ah, forgive me. That was rude, and I apologize."

Jack narrowed his optics, but the other mech did look contrite. "Just don't touch me unless I say you can and we'll be okay." Grimwing nodded, and the light of a groundbridge flared up. "Well," he looked at the Autobots in each in turn, and smiled and them, "go kick Shockwave's aft!"

"Count on it, we'll send that creep packing!" Smokescreen said confidently.

Jack smiled faintly before he grabbed the rail of Cinder's transport, and walked through the groundbridge.

* * *

Deep within a cave, metals walls were scraped and debris littered the ground. A large, green form moved, and a low groan emitted from it.

Blinking his optics open, Bulkhead looked around, and grimaced when he saw nothing but darkness and the unpleasant feeling of being trapped underground again. "Scrap, how far did we fall?"

A few feet from him, Wheeljack stirred and looked around just as blearily. He hissed as his back plates ached, and he saw energon dripping on the ground. "Frag, that thing got me good."

"Least we're alive." Bulkhead said. "Can you stand up?"

"Yeah," Wheeljack unsteadily got to his pedes, "you?"

"Feel like slag, but I can." Bulkhead replied as he used the wall to pull himself up. "Let's see if we can get a signal down here."

"Don't like the thought of having to be dug up, but frag if I ain't itching to live just to pay that fragger back." Wheeljack said.

Bulkhead let out a bleak laugh, because even now Wheeljack was still Wheeljack. "Come on, let's get going then."

The two of them began a long trek down the never-ending tunnel, and Bulkhead was glad at least he wasn't holding the cavern up again. And just as glad Miko wasn't there in any danger. Something wet began to form underpede, and Bulkhead looked down to see, incredibly enough, a trail of blue energon. "Scrap, 'Jackie, you bleeding worse than you thought?"

Wheeljack shook his head. "No, I'd be out if I was draining with how much is on the ground." He narrowed his optics, and saw the stream came from a crack at the bottom of the wall. "Though it's a bit weird this is here at all."

"Maybe not, Cybertron is restored and all." Bulkhead shrugged. "Must mean energon is beginning to form in the planet again."

"Hurray, so let's see if this can lead us to a way out." Wheeljack said dryly.

Bulkhead chuckled faintly as the two of them continued walking, though keeping in mind the direction the energon was coming from. They took a left, and more and more, they came across puddles of energon until they came to a huge cavern.

And the wide expanse of the ground was filled with a shallow pool of energon.

"This is incredible. It's forming an energon sea." Bulkhead said in awe.

Wheeljack nudged him in the side. "Sorry to break up the moment, but what is _that?"_ he pointed his free out to the structure on the side of the sea. "It looks like…"

Bulkhead narrowed his optics. "Buildings?" he questioned aloud. "They look new, but how can that be?" The ground shook suddenly, and Bulkhead turned around, his optics widening as he was forced to look up to the meet the red gaze of an angry-looking tyrannosaurus rex. "Grimlock?!"


	17. Chapter 17

The first thing Jack saw when he stepped onto the ship was Miko jumping in front of him. "Are you okay? How did you get away? Did you kick butt?"

Jack blinked, venting slowly as the groundbridge closed. Miko noticed the tube and raced to examine it. "Miko, step away from the container. Cinder isn't awake, but I won't let you freak Blackbeak out."

The girl furrowed her brow. "Who?"

Shrieking answered her, and she jumped as Blackbeak stirred, hissing as he looked around and his wings flared wildly. Jack grabbed him and held him until he calmed down. "Him."

Miko's eyes were wide as she looked at him. "That's a Predacon? He's so _tiny_ compared to you."

"But he's still much bigger than _you_ , so keep your distance." Jack warned her. "Now, where's Ratchet?"

Miko waved dismissively. "He's checking over Ultra Magnus." She explained. "After he sent out a bridge to the other Autobots, Shoulder Pads woke up and he wanted to know what happened."

"Well that explains why Ratchet isn't yelling at you." Jack said dryly. He glanced at Cindersaur's container as it shook, the Predacon inside moving slightly as she turned, but nothing indicated she was going to 'hatch'. Not yet anyway. "Come on, I'd rather explain this to Ratch before she wakes up and freaks them out."

"Why? Is the Predacon going to go nuts?" Miko looked too interested in that possibility.

"No." Jack said, but paused. "At least I hope she doesn't." he dragged her container with one hand as he held Blackbeak with the other. The homunculi's optics shifted, taking everything in as he seemed content to remain quiet. Jack hoped it was because he reminded him of Grimwing and didn't start flipping out again.

The group came into the command room, and when Ratchet looked up, he did a double-take, expression changing to disbelief as he took in the group. "What the frag happened out there?"

Jack held Blackbeak more firmly as the homunculi hissed. "A Predacon named Grimwing turned on Shockwave and he wanted me to watch over his sister and Blackbeak here."

From his reclining berth, Ultra Magnus looked disapproving. "It's not a sound call to make with a known hostile force. What proof do you have that this 'Grimwing' isn't leading Optimus and the others into a trap?"

Jack nodded at the container. "He left his sister with me, as well as his little friend here." He gestured to Blackbeak. "I doubt he'd let them out of his sight if he wanted to spring a trap."

"Still, it would be better if all forces converged onto Shockwave's lab to deal with the threat." Ultra Magnus said.

"What forces?" Ratchet retorted. "We're all that's still here, with Bulkhead and Wheeljack off who-knows-where, and Optimus wants us to remain in our position. And you," he walked over to Jack, who blinked as the medic scanned a light over him, "seem to be in good shape."

"Yeah, I wasn't actually hurt, physically, and I managed to use my EMP howl to get away." Jack said.

"That's so cool, I wish I could have seen that creep drop out of the air!" Miko shouted.

"No, you wouldn't because we weren't in the air, nor would I have done it because I would have dropped out of the sky as well." Jack said, but did think back to how that _sort_ of happened with Predaking throwing Knock Out into the sky and colliding with the blue and white Predacon. It was awkward being caught by Predaking, but it was satisfying seeing that creep Skystalker get knocked around.

Even his _name_ was bad news. If that was Shockwave's doing, then that mech had more issues than he already did.

"If I am forced to accept this for now, I will trust Optimus' judgement to go along with this plan." Ultra Magnus said reluctantly.

Jack narrowed his optics. "You think Grimwing's setting them up?"

"I have been unconscious and out of commission for more than my liking. I do not know _what_ to think and am only preparing for the worst outcome." The mech said calmly.

Jack reluctantly had to agree, but deep down he wanted to be right about trusting Grimwing. He paused as Cinder's container shook, and her tube's glass began to hiss, and started lifting. "Miko, get away from her!"

Miko, who had been trying to edge closer, scowled as she ducked away. "No fair."

Jack made sure she was back under Ratchet's stern gaze before looking at the tube, before glancing back at Cinder's container as liquid filled the transport and the glass slid away. Jack found himself tensing as the form slid out, the ground shaking as the hulking Predacon stepped onto the floor.

Cindersaur was bizarrely shark-like upon closer inspection with the top of her face purple and running down the large shark find protrusion on her back. Her body was thick and wider as it descended into two long, bowed dark purple legs and into a short tail at the end of her body, which itself was mostly a dark gray. Her equally purple arms flexed, ending in sharp claw and two more fin-like protrusions on her elbows that were yellow as the other highlights along her shoulders and the side of her shark fin.

"Cool!"

Jack reactively tensed as Cindersaur's head snapped towards the voice, sharp voice curling into an expression Jack didn't know.

Before anyone could react, Cindersaur lunged towards Miko.

* * *

Arcee narrowed her optics at Grimwing. He'd been helpful so far, but she figured someone had to be suspicious. As Optimus, Smokescreen and Bumblebee walked ahead, she held back and glanced at him. His root form was tall, but she supposed his Predacon form was larger. "Are you really doing this for Jack? What's in it for you?"

Grimwing glanced down at her. "I want Shockwave to be stopped." He said firmly. "The things he'd planned for Jack…" he didn't elaborate, and though he said it before, Arcee still didn't want to hear it either.

"He's always been a twisted fragger." She muttered.

"You've run into him before?" Grimwing asked, but Arcee remain stonily silent. "Ah, I will not pry."

Arcee vented. "Ran into one of your 'brethren.' The rogue one, he was making a space bridge to get to Earth."

"Lazerback, it does not surprise me he would try either." Grimwing said solemnly. "Shockwave made him to be intelligent, but from your description I do hope he doesn't succeed. His purpose was to…" he looked uncomfortable. "Was to replace Skystalker if he did not succeed in…his mission with Jack."

A deep swell of disgust made itself known in Arcee's spark. "It makes me wish then that 'Bee and I had taken him out when we had the chance. He's still loose somewhere on Cybertron." She said. "What about the others? How many did Shockwave make?"

"Technically there were only supposed to be seven, but Blackbeak was unexpected." Grimwing started. "Skylynx and Darksteel were the first ones I believe, being made to be laborers, Skystalker was next, and he was made to…" he did not say, but Arcee could infer, and it made her even angrier. "Anyway, next I hatched, and was to be Shockwave's lab assistant, Lazerback-well, you already know what his role was, Cindersaur was also meant to be little more than muscle, and Circuit was supposed to replace Predaking as the leader, although…" he trailed off.

Arcee caught onto it. "Although what?"

Grimwing looked serious. "I cannot give a definitive answer as to why Jack wouldn't say anything, but before we met with you, Predaking and a bot called Knock Out were with us and I believe they may have been taken by the other Predacons."

Arcee's optics widened. " _What?"_

The walking ahead halted. "Arcee?" Optimus called. "Is everything alright?"

"Uh, no, it's not." Arcee replied. "Grimwing just said that Knock Out and Predaking were with him and Jack."

Grimwing looked around at them as both Optimus and Bumblebee seemed to tense and Smokescreen scowled. "I do not understand, have I said something wrong?"

"Will you start from the beginning?" Optimus asked. "Tell us how you all came to locate each other."

"Very well…" Grimwing seemed confused, but he must have been earnest about being trusted. "After I abandoned Shockwave, I intentionally set out to find Lazerback, Predaking or Jack simply because I thought one of them would take us in."

Arcee stiffened, but she couldn't begrudge him that for at the time he didn't know what did now.

"I found Predaking and Knock Out, who were both wary of me due to an unfortunate encounter with my brother Skystalker." Grimwing continued. "To be honest, at first I assumed that Predaking and Knock Out were mates due to how they spoke to one another," Smokescreen and Bumblebee snickered, and Arcee rolled her optics, "but it was made clear to me that Knock Out was a prisoner he was bringing back to you, the Autobots."

"Is this why you were so close to the city to help Jack?" Optimus questioned.

Grimwing nodded. "Yes, we saw Skystalker flying out of the city with Jack and Predaking, well, he threw Knock Out at him to make him let go."

Smokescreen's snickering turned into chuckling. He ducked under Optimus' stern stare. "I know this is serious, but you gotta admit that's a hilarious image." He held up his servos. "Sorry, go on."

"There is not much else, except that it's more than likely they've been captured." Grimwing said.

"This does change things." Optimus said.

Arcee blinked, and she frowned. "You can't be serious about recuing them."

"I know you are upset with Knock Out for what he has done to Jack, as am I, but we cannot let them remain in Shockwave's hands. No one deserves such a fate." Optimus said gravely.

Arcee frowned, hating that he made sense. She could still remember her own experience with Shockwave. "I don't have to like it." She said, and Optimus only nodded.

"What are we going to do then?" Bumblebee questioned.

Optimus was silent for a moment. "With a diversion."

Arcee settled in to listen, and when it was done…she thought it was crazy. _Though it will get those Preds to take notice, that's for sure._

* * *

"You're so cute!"

Jack's EMP howl was aborted with an awkward squawk, coughing as Miko fell on her backside after shrieking as she stared up at Cindersaur. The Predacon was crouched low, teeth still pulled back into that terrifying thing Jack realized had been a _smile_ , with her wide blue optics locked on Miko. Jack glanced back to see Ratchet was in the process of retracting his scalpels and berating Ultra Magnus back into the berth from the latter's attempt to likely get up and do… _something._

Even Jack wasn't sure he'd have been able to do anything if Cinder really had been trying to attack Miko. Thankfully that wasn't the case.

"What are you?" Cinder's tail wagged as much as it could. "You're so tiny and I love that weird stuff on your helm! Did you do it yourself?"

Miko only stared up at her, jaw slack as she stuttered, but nothing coherent came out.

With the shock passing, Jack snickered as he realized what was happening. "Miko's finally getting a taste of her own medicine."

Ratchet snorted. "Perhaps now she'll think twice before getting into the personal space of others."

Miko's jaw finally began working, but her lips curled into a grin as she sprang to her feet. "I'm a human and the latest addition to the Wreckers!" she shouted and touched her hair. "And of course I did this myself, I'd never let anyone near my hair! How are you able to speak in shark-mode? I thought only Jack could, but you're even more awesome looking than he is!

Jack felt a headache, but it was worth it to see the mounting horror that slowly came onto Ratchet's face. He knew exactly what the medic was thinking. "I know, it's like there's two of them."

Then Miko asked, "If you're name's Cinder, can you breathe fire?" And Cindersaur's resounding, "You bet I can, wanna see?" was met with a resounding "No!" from everyone else on board.

The fact both Cinder and Miko managed to make the same put-upon expression only made Jack's headache gain speed. _Still, at least she's not evil._

* * *

Starscream grumbled to himself as he gathered up the energon cubes for consumption. 'Feeding' duty; such a low level job, an indignity upon his very spark. It was not helped by the fact Shockwave's pets had apparently captured Predaking while they were out, but he'd yet to go back into the other labs to see if it was true. Though he had heard faint screaming, so he would assume so.

 _Just one more beast to feed, why can't Cybertron hurry up and produce more energon before they cannibalistic?_ He thought, shuddering as he remembered the gruesome things those energon-sucking Terrorcons had been.

"Get out here and eat or you don't get anything later!" he shouted, and he swiped his own cube as the ground shook. Starscream grimaced as Skylynx and Darksteel came skittering in, muscling against each other in a bid to grab a cube first. Circuit came in more sedately, tail swishing behind her and Starscream narrowed his optics. "Where's the other one?"

"Who? The boss?" Darksteel asked. "Don't know, just saw him leave earlier."

"No doubt to nurse his battered pride." Circuit smirked.

Starscream grimaced, because it would mean having to keep the others from trying to fight over the remaining cube. When a roar rang outside, he almost choked on the gulp of energon he took. He hacked and spat it back out, looking around wildly. "What the frag?!"

Darksteel grinned. "Sounds like someone wants to fight!"

"You-" Starscream cut himself off as the Predacon raced to the entrance, shrieking in frustration as both Skylynx and Circuit also made for the entrance.

With little choice, the seeker followed them to see what caused the ruckus-only to immediately run back the other way.

The other three all grinned, and transformed from root form back to beast mode. They ran out of the lab, and charged to meet the oncoming Grimwing and Optimus Prime.


	18. Chapter 18

It shouldn't have been possible, but when Grimlock seemed to recognize Bulkhead and Wheeljack, he growled in what seemed to be in even more anger.

"Look, I know our units have always clashed, but is this really the time to start something?" Bulkhead asked.

"Especially since we can probably still go up against you and your lizards." Wheeljack snapped.

"'Jackie!" Bulkhead snapped. "You're not helping our case, and we both know he'd crush you, especially since you're still bleeding out."

Wheeljack shrugged. "Just a scratch."

"A puddle's starting to form!"

Wheeljack blinked, glancing down as blue energon seeped down his leg and dripped to the ground. "So there is." He narrowed his optics at Grimlock. "Which one of your lizards was the medic again? The hardhead or the lugnut? They still around?"

"Wheeljack…" Bulkhead warned, even as he glanced warily at Grimlock, whose gaze seemed to be even angrier than before.

"What? It's not like we didn't rile them up before Cybertron went to the pit." The other Wrecker retorted.

"That was when we weren't on uneven ground and could hold our own-Shockwave's Predacon did a number on us." Bulkhead said, but he realized too late just whose name he mentioned.

Grimlock transformed and lifted Bulkhead off the ground by his shoulders. "Where is Shockwave?!"

"We don't know! That wasn't even our mission, Optimus just wanted me and Wheeljack to round up escaped prisoners. He probably gave that mission to Arcee or Bumblebee." Bulkhead explained.

"Arcee?" A new voice called, and Bulkhead's optics widened as a two-wheeler came driving up to them, transforming into a scowling blue femme with gray highlights and sharp helm fins.

"Am I bleeding more than I thought and started to hallucinate, but did Arcee just come riding in?" Wheeljack questioned.

The femme scowled, and with a derisive snort, Grimlock tossed Bulkhead at Wheeljack. The two Wreckers crashed to the ground, the latter groaning as Bulkhead rolled off him.

"From your oh-so observant deduction," the femme said scathingly, "I take it my _dear_ sister never mentioned me."

"Sister?" Bulkhead repeated, confusion evident on his faceplate.

"Look, right now whatever issues you have with Arcee you can take it up with her. Are you gonna help us or kill us?" Bulkhead looked incredulously at Wheeljack, but the other mech held firm. "Don't think Grimlock wasn't about to bite our heads off before you brought up Shockwave."

The dinobot growled deeply. "What are you doing on Cybertron?" his visor locked on Bulkhead. "You left with Prime." He spat the moniker.

Bulkhead bristled and he scowled at the mech. "We just _saved_ Cybertron by reactivating the core!"

If anything, both the femme and Grimlock glared at them harder.

"Seriously, are you two just going to glare at us for everything we say? Grimlock might hate us, but what's your problem with us, Not-Arcee?" Wheeljack asked scathingly. Bulkhead wondered why he was even trying to keep everyone calm.

The femme scowled at him. "My name is _Chromia_." She snapped. She glared over her shoulder. "Snarl! Hurry up and get out here! We have some unwelcome guests!"

The ground shook as heavy footsteps picked up, and a rushing Stegosaurus came lumbering out of the cavern the two before the Wreckers came out. The new arrival slowed to a halt, transforming as he immediately glared at Wheeljack and Bulkhead.

 _"You two_ , what are you doing here?"

Bulkhead couldn't resist throwing his servos into the air as Wheeljack geared up to make another anger-prone Dinobot want to kill them. "Short story, we got blind-sided by a Predacon, we need help to get back to the surface. Help us and you'll never have to see us again."

Snarl narrowed his optics, and looked at Grimlock. "Sounds like a pretty good deal, what do you think?"

"Help them, they get out." Grimlock repeated, optic band burning brighter for a moment. " _Fine."_ He said grudgingly.

Bulkhead immediately clamped a servo over Wheeljack's mouth when the smaller mech tried to speak. "Great! Can ya take a look at him, Snarl?"

The Dinobot circled around Wheeljack, and with a jerk he grabbed the Wrecker's leg before pulling, and Wheeljack landed on his front. "It's unfortunate…he's gonna live."

Wheeljack glared over his shoulder at Snarl. "You-hey, what are you doing?!" he yelled as the Dinobot grabbed his other leg and began to drag him towards the building structures.

There was a definite smirk on Snarl's face. "Shouldn't aggravate the injury, this is the safer way to travel."

"That's a load of scrap and you know it!"

"Who's the medic here?"

"I doubt it's really you!"

Bulkhead rubbed his brow plate, and smiled nervously at Grimlock and Chromia. "Is there any chance we can just start over this?"

Chromia shook her head while Grimlock snorted.

"Didn't think so." Bulkhead wondered if he and Wheeljack would be in even worse condition than they were coming in. Pit, they might as well have kept wandering the tunnels at this rate.

* * *

Jack was unsurprised when it didn't take long for Ratchet to firmly tell him to 'show _those two_ around', being code for the medic's patience stretching even more thin due to the back and forth Miko and Cindersaur had been engaged in.

Miko took to the suggestion more than Jack did, which is what led to him bemusedly trailing after the two as Cinder carried Miko her servos, still in beast mode and looking around excitedly, while Miko named off all the places they passed. Barring having an official name, Miko gave the rooms nicknames.

It was actually peaceful, until Cindersaur began to look confused the further they went through the ship.

"Where are my brethren? Where is Shockwave?"

Miko piped down, and Jack vented as he became aware of Blackbeak's digits digging into his shoulder. She didn't even comment on how much he looked like a pirate with the 'bird-thing' hanging onto him. Now she just looked at Jack, and he knew this wasn't going to be pleasant for either him or Cinder.

"They…aren't here." Jack said carefully.

Cinder frowned as best she could. "What? Has something happened, Ripclaw?"

Jack flinched, Blackbeak bristling in agitated from the sudden movement. Jack hadn't heard Cinder say his name until now, but it was still an unpleasant shock to know that's all she could label him as. "My name isn't Ripclaw. No matter what Shockwave thinks, my name is Jack."

"My package said-"

"Is wrong." Jack said quietly, but firmly. "I have never wanted that name. Please, Cinder, don't use it."

Cindersaur's confusion was evident in her narrowed optics, but she hesitantly nodded. "Alright…Jack." She said the name as though testing it. "What happened to everyone?"

Jack hesitated again, because he couldn't know how she'd react. Grimwing had been awake and got to see first-hand the factors for turning on the other Predacons and Shockwave. "They aren't here," he repeated, "because Grimwing didn't want you to be like them."

"I don't understand." Cinder replied.

Oh boy, Jack could see this was going to be a difficult conversation to have. "Miko, maybe you should go back to bothering Ratch."

Miko crossed her arms. "No way, you're gonna need backup."

Jack vented again, but accepted this was one thing he could use her help in. "Just don't egg her on." He warned, before glancing at a confused Cinder. "I know this is going to be hard to hear, but Shockwave…isn't a good mech."

"He's actually pretty fragged up." Miko added. Cinder's optics widened, shaking her head.

"He can't be." She protested.

"It's true, he sent Skystalker after me, to-to," Jack swallowed harshly, " _rape me."_

If possible, Cindersaur's optics grew even wider, her expression more dismayed and lost. "What? My brother couldn't do that." She didn't look certain though.

"Grimwing came to tell me what Shockwave had planned." Jack explained. "You've been brought into this world without knowing what anything is like; I can't imagine what that's like, but I know how it feels to be told something so shocking you don't understand how it could be true."

Cindersaur closed her optics, and she gently placed Miko on the floor. "Can I be alone for a little while?" she looked away. "I-I just want to be alone."

Jack vented again, but nodded. "Okay." Cinder didn't look back as she ambled down the hall, but Jack caught Miko before she could take off after her.

Miko punched his servo, and Blackbeak hissed at her. "What's the big deal? You can't just let her go off by herself! What if she bails on us?! I just made an awesome new friend too!"

Jack stared at her flatly. "Miko, she needs it. I know you won't like it, but we can't just make her get over it."

Miko scowled and looked away. "You're right, I don't like it."

* * *

With the Predacons all rushing out to meet Grimwing and Optimus, it left an opening for Arcee, Bumblebee and Smokescreen to make a break for the entrance. Arcee didn't like leaving Optimus to deal with such uneven odds, even with the help of a Predacon. Still, he was right-the diversion _did_ work.

The inside of the front entrance was set up with a terminal, and a pile of energon cubes already half-drank.

"Looks like we interrupted feeding time." Smokescreen said.

"Something's off though," Arcee narrowed her optics at the pile of cubes laid out on the floor, "Grimwing said there were eight Predacons, though from his tone I wouldn't doubt Shockwave doesn't consider Blackbeak in anyway a success." Though why so many cubes then?

Smokescreen began to frown. "Where are you going with this, Arcee?"

"She's right." Bumblebee said. "A cube for each Predacon, plus Shockwave…but there's two untouched and only _three_ Predacons currently outside. I think one of the Predacons is missing!"

Arcee scowled as realization struck. "Not only that, but _Starscream_ also got away with Shockwave."

"Well this is just terrific." Smokescreen muttered.

Bumblebee shook his head. "Let's do what we came to do, nothing changes."

* * *

"Uh, nice place you got here." Bulkhead though wondered if it was the appropriate thing to say when Chromia scowled at him even more fiercely. The only thing which made this a _little_ less awkward was the fact Grimlock was not around to keep glaring at him as though he begrudged him every second he was there-well, he probably _did_ , until another Dinobot came and took the T-rex away.

Chromia looked around at the makeshift buildings of scrap metal that made up the 'town.' "It _was_ , before the quakes came and caused a cave-in that we only just managed to clear up." She explained bitterly. "It killed half the population down here."

Bulkhead winced, because he could see where this was going. "Look, I'm sorry about what happened, but we couldn't just pass up the chance to have Cybertron come back."

Chromia snorted derisively. "And now what's going to happen? Cybertronians come back and we get what, a few years of peace before the fighting starts up again? Back to fighting over energon as our numbers die off until we're extinct? We don't have an Allspark anymore, or a Well to channel it through-it'll take _years_ before the planet will ever look as it did before the war." Her optics darkened. "Or maybe not even that before we all kill each other."

Bulkhead let her words sink in, finding it hard to disagree, but the pessimism was something he couldn't stand for. "Then we'll keep surviving, _living_."

"We?" Chromia repeated, scorn in her expression. "You all left the planet, leaving us behind while _we_ kept scavenging just to survive. Prime abandoned us, just like Arcee abandoned me-" she cut herself off, fists clenching as she scowled at the ground. "Go see how that other Wrecker is doing, then call for your groundbridge and get out."

"What-hey!" Bulkhead tried to call after Chromia, but she only transformed into a two-wheeler and took off.

"You really ticked her off, always saw that as more Wheeljack's thing to be honest."

Bulkhead's optics widened as he whirled around; a lean green-armored femme stood behind him, blue optics twinkling as a large blaster was strapped to her back. "Moonracer?"

The Wrecker sharpshooter grinned. "Long time no see, huh?" she held out her servo, but when Bulkhead only continued to stare blankly at her, she shook her fist insistently. "What, you just going to leave me hanging?"

That made Bulkhead snap out of it, and he dazedly fist-bumped her. "How are you not-I thought you were dead."

"I thought so too, honestly. Fragging straggler 'Cons took out my perch and the explosion sent me crashing through the ground." Moonracer explained, scowling faintly. "I woke up here though after a long slagging nap, but by the time I tried contacting anyone, found out most the Wreckers were dead or in the wind, and you left with Optimus."

"You could have still contacted me, I would have convinced Optimus to let you stay." Bulkhead said.

Moonracer shook her head, and she gestured to the populace around them. "I have a place _here_ , even before the lizards moved in. I can't just up and leave them."

Bulkhead vented deeply. "It's not easy letting go." He muttered, but shook his head. "You said you were here _before_ the Dinobots? How'd you managed to survive them?"

"With lots of grandstanding." Moonracer smirked, pulling her rifle off her back and holding it up. "Grimlock might be able to burn to a crisp any scraplet or Insecticon vermin that encroach here, but _I'm_ the best at keeping those pests from getting into town." She chuckled then. "Plus, it helps to have a 'you stay on your side of the fence' kind of set-up."

Bulkhead grinned, but it was bittersweet. Much as seeing Moonracer alive relieved him, he still heard Chromia's angry words going through his head. "So what exactly have you been doing besides sniping scraplets?"

Moonracer shrugged. "This and that." She elbowed him to get moving. "Though what I want to know is what got you and 'Jackie down here."

"It was a Predacon that Shockwave made." Bulkhead said.

Moonracer grimaced. "Figures that fragger couldn't just combust and save everyone the trouble; though I guess it would deprive Grimlock of the opportunity to roast him himself."

Bulkhead thought of Jack and Arcee. _He's not the only one._

* * *

Jack walked back into the command center, and placed Miko on the floor. She didn't try to bolt, only walked over to where she left the Apex Armor disk. Ultra Magnus was looking at the ceiling, just as stern as he always looked, while Ratchet was at the terminal.

"So, get any angry calls from Earth yet?" Jack asked, but wasn't sure if it qualified as a joke since it's honestly what he expected to happen.

Ratchet apparently thought the same, as he cast him a dry glance. "If we were, I doubt you wouldn't have been able to hear the yelling."

Jack chuckled wryly. "Yeah." But it faded as he looked more seriously at him. "Could you call them though? I feel bad I left Raf there by himself to explain what happened; Arcee and Bumblebee caused enough of a commotion with their unexpected drop-in."

"Very well." Before Ratchet could touch the comm., it began to beep. "Hmm, it looks like one of the teams is hailing us. Looks like that call to earth will have to wait."

Jack vented. "I'd imagine so." He winced as Blackbeak jumped from his shoulder, but gave him a cursory glance before looking at the monitor as it clicked on.

Bulkhead's voice drifted from the audio, laced with static. " _Ratchet? You there, docbot?"_

Ratchet scowled at the nickname. "Yes, I'm here, Bulkhead."

Ultra Magnus stirred from the berth. "Bulkhead? Why is there interference in the audio? Where are you and Wheeljack?"

 _"Sir? You're alright?"_ There was a note of relief in Bulkhead's voice. " _Well, we got kinda of slagged up; long story. Involves one of Shockwave's Predacons."_

"Of course it would." Jack vented.

 _"Jack?"_ Bulkhead sounded incredulous. " _What are you doing there?"_

"Also a long story." Jack replied. "We can swap them when you and Wheeljack get back."

Bulkhead chuckled. " _Sure. Ratch? Where's Optimus?"_

"It's part of that 'long story.'" Ratchet said. "One of the Predacons turned on Shockwave and gave us co-ordinates on where to find him."

Bulkhead was silent for a long moment. _"Where to…find Shockwave."_ He repeated, a strange consideration in his voice. Abruptly, his tone hardened. _"Ratch, send a groundbridge to my location and then redirect me to Optimus."_

"What? If you're injured what help can you be?" Ratchet retorted.

 _"Listen, I have an idea so crazy it just might work."_ Bulkhead replied, his voice urgent. _"Just trust me on this."_

Ratchet snorted. "I find any time you say 'I have an idea' to be highly suspect."

"Bulkhead," Ultra Magnus started, "this is irregular, but…are you certain this idea will work?"

Bulkhead's tone hardened. " _Yes, I'm sure it will."_

Ratchet looked in disbelief between the terminal and the commander. "You can seriously-"

"We do not know the situation Bulkhead is in." Ultra Magnus said firmly. "But if he says there's a chance to help Optimus' team, then I will trust him on this." His tone turned to steel. "Do not let me be wrong."

" _I won't, sir."_ Bulkhead said, relief evident in his voice.

Ratchet shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He began typing into the terminal co-ordinates. "I've locked on Optimus' location, what are you co-ordinates."

Jack watched the scene, but a strange unease filled his spark. He looked around, but it hit him like a freight train. _Miko…doesn't want to talk to Bulkhead?_ It was an anomaly, she'd ran through the spacebridge to see him, thought Predaking and Knock Out _were_ Bulkhead and Wheeljack.

Jack's optics widened. _She's not here, damn it, she ran after Cinder after all!_ Jack vented again, rubbing his brow plate. "I don't believe this."

Ratchet finished up the and ended the transmission. "What now? Another scraplet infestation?"

"Do not joke about that, doctor." Ultra Magnus said sternly.

Jack snickered, despite how morbid it was to know he should be scared of that too. "No that. Miko ran off; probably went to find Cinder when I told her _not_ too."

"That explains the otherwise peace and quiet." Ratchet said, but as soon as he did, a shrill beep rang out overhead. " _What now?"_ he repeated, checking over the screen as a signal was shown to be coming in close.

Jack's not-stomach dropped as he saw Ratchet's optics widen. When he saw what the signal showed on the live feed, fear coursed through his spark, followed sharply by anger. A large blue and white draconic dragon came on the screen. "Skystalker." He growled. From his perch on Cinder's tube, Blackbeak hissed at the sight of the Predacon as well.

Before any speculation could be made on why he was there, the ship rocked as like a bullet the Predacon slammed into the side of the ship. A shrieking roar rang out, the sounds of metal tearing.

"Ratchet, bring the defense systems online!" Ultra Magnus ordered.

The medic nodded, and hurried to type the code into the terminal. "Scrap, of all times when everyone's pre-occupied!" he snapped, and laser fire of the outside defense fired. More roaring filled the air as the ship rocked again and the glimmer of the Predacon swooping by the camera was seen.

"Ratchet, put out a broadcast and tell Miko and Cinder to get back here now!" Jack said. His spark pulsed heavily, because deep down he _knew_ why Skystalker was here, was throwing any caution out the window. _He's here for me, and this time I don't think he's going to leave until he gets me._ His optics hardened. _He's not gonna stop; this has to end._


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Just wanted to lay out a few things, first: I've decided the official sequel will be named 'Come As You Are', but I'll be taking a bit of a break from getting anything posted to refresh. Second, I've already got two arcs planned to have in it, but I am open to suggestions for any other plot stuff. Third; a bit of a cheat, but I've decided there's going to be a timeskip consisting of one year-for again, plot stuff. There will have been a bit of… _time_ to get certain things in motion.**

* * *

Spark pulsing rapidly, Starscream raced through the hall of the laboratory. Grimwing turning traitor he should have seen coming, but he could not believe the wretch had managed to get the _Autobots_ -or _Prime_ at least-to stage an attack. _We have to get the frag out of here, those beasts can perish for all I care!_ "Shockwave?!"

The reply echoed back, still calm despite likely having heard the roar. "Starscream, I forbid you from entering here-"

"Frag that, we need to get out of here-" Starscream's rant was cut off, halting as thought slamming against a wall. He stopped in the room Shockwave was in, but his optics were locked on the form lying on the berth, incredulity coursing through him.

Knock Out looked terrible, his plating scratched and dirtied, a layer of condensation covering his frame. His expression was pained, optics clouded and half-lidded as his lips were pressed tightly together as though trying not to scream. There was something odd about his lower regions, like why they looked so _odd_ now, or why it was open in the first place-

Starscream's optics snapped up to Shockwave. "You never said Knock Out was here."

"It wasn't relevant. You only needed to know Predaking had been detained." Shockwave said evenly. He didn't flinch when a loud bang rang out from outside, screeches and shrieks mixing in with blaster fire. "Knock Out volunteered."

Starscream eyed the restraints. "And what are those? A precaution?"

"Yes." Shockwave said bluntly. "I assume what made you disobey my order was the attack on the laboratory?"

"How can you be so fragging calm!?" Starscream shrieked. "Optimus slagging Prime is out there with your rotten assistant-I knew that beast would betray us!"

Shockwave stared at him for a long moment, but then he glanced over at his terminal. "It is time to depart. I will need my samples for further study." He said, typing in on the terminal as data streamed along the screen.

Starscream vented deeply. "You see reason; does this place have a back exit we can get through?"

"All of my fortresses were installed with an emergency escape hatch in the event it is under siege." Shockwave said.

Starscream grew agitated when the scientist made no further comment. "Well? Where is it?"

"It is not lost on me our situations are reverse." Shockwave said. "You are now relying on me for instruction, whereas on my lab on Earth it was me who relied on you."

Starscream frowned. "Are you really so petty?" he crossed his arms. "We're under attack and you're bringing _that_ up?" he looked up nervously when another bang rang out overhead this time.

"It is merely fitting...but no excuse will save you this time."

Starscream's optics widened as Shockwave turned around suddenly. The seeker raised his arm to fire, but the scientist was quicker as the barrel of his plasma cannon at his chest-

"You are too much a liability."

-and fired.

* * *

"Scrap, there's gotta be something we can do but stand here!" Jack shouted, spark racing as Skystalker crunched another one of the defense lasers between his jaws. He noticed a pattern though, to the Predacon's movements, where it had originally circled around and tried to dive underneath the ship before being pelted by lasers and forced to fly away.

It was like Skystalker was trying to get under the ship, but why-

Jack's optics widened, spark skipping as he remembered the breach. "Ratchet, has anyone been able to close the hole Skystalker used to kidnap me before?"

Ratchet's optics widened as he likely realized it too. "There's been no time, with everything's that's happened."

Jack came to a decision then, one which went against everything he'd been trying to prevent. He knew though that as long as Skystalker was pre-occupied, he would leave the others alone. He had to believe that. "Good."

Ratchet caught his arm as he began to walk away. "What the frag do you think you're doing?!"

Jack smiled sadly. "Whatever it takes to keep you all safe."

The medic's optics widened, but then he snarled and slammed his fist against Jack's shoulder. "You think this is a time to be suicidally brave? I've watched bots go out too many times and never come back! I won't let you be one of them!" his grip tightened on Jack's arm, as though it would stop him.

Jack only looked down, his chest tightening. "We both know if I lose I won't die."

"And you think that's any comfort?!"

"No." Jack said solemnly. He gently pried Ratchet's digits off his arm. "This has to end." he glanced around meaningfully. "You protected me, now it's my turn to return the favor." He leaned down and wrapped his arms around the stunned medic. "Sorry I spent all the time we had together being a pain in the aft."

"You're not going out there!" Ratchet snapped, his servos gripping Jack's arm as the other mech pulled away, but Jack pried his digits off again and stepped back.

Ultra Magnus shifted off the berth unsteadily, but tried to hold himself imposingly. "Stand down, that's an order."

Jack vented deeply. "Sorry, but I'm not one of your soldiers." He replied, and hurried out of the room, sprinting down the hall as fast as his legs could carry him.

He needed to protect everyone, he needed to protect Cinder and Blackbeak…he needed this to be over.

Jack found the room with the broken in floor, still remembering the Predacon tossing him through. He glared at it, and forced himself to crouch over it. "Skystalker! Over here!"

His call caught the Predacon's attention, the blue and white form soaring underneath the hull. Yellow optics locked on him, and Jack forced himself to jump through the hole. Skystalker held out his front legs to catch him, but Jack narrowed his optics and transformed into his beast mode.

In doing so changed his trajectory, and it was with a loud _crash_ that Jack collided with the Predacon's head, jaws snapping around Skystalker's neck as they both fell to land in a heap on the decrepit building underneath.

* * *

Pulling up short, Arcee, Bumblebee and Smokescreen looked at each other.

"Everyone heard that, right?" Smokescreen asked. "Or did that shot come from outside too?"

"No, it came from in here." Bumblebee said, and activated his blaster while the others did the same.

Arcee tilted her head, narrowing her optics as groaning wafted from down the other hall. She gritted her teeth. "I heard something down there, go check out the shot and I'll take this one."

Bumblebee nodded reluctantly. "Be careful, Arcee."

"Of course." Arcee said and the three broke away. The femme carefully followed the sound, and raised her blaster as she looked around the corner of a doorway. Her optics widened, taking in the large form lying on the berth, cables connected to his arms.

Predaking's optics cracked open a sliver into a narrowed glared. He growled, but winced and tried tugging his head. "It's trying to…keep me sedated…get it out."

Arcee warily walked in, her blaster at the ready. She pressed her lips tight, hesitant to undo the bonds or help. Optimus' words came back to her, as did Jack's account. She gritted her denta, and reluctantly began taking the cables out and undid the straps.

Predaking groaned as he shook, grabbing the edge of the berth to pull himself up. He frowned as Arcee trained her blaster on him. "You save me to attack me?"

Arcee vented in deep, and lowered her cannon. "Force of habit." She muttered.

Predaking though kept a wary optic on her. " _Why_ did you save me?"

"Optimus thought you and Knock Out didn't deserve what Shockwave was going to do to you." Arcee muttered. "Plus," she hesitated again, "you saved Jack."

At the mention, Predaking's form relaxed a touch. "He's safe?"

"He made it back to the Nemesis." Arcee replied.

Predaking nodded, glancing away as a far-off look appeared in his optics. "It would appear he was right about you." He said, but it was like a grudging admission. "You didn't kill him after all."

Arcee bristled, but forced herself to remember why he thought that. "Look, we don't have to like each other, but if you want to get out of here, be my guest."

Predaking scowled at her, but nodded as he unsteadily got to his pedes. His wings flared briefly, and he used the wall to hold himself up as he regained his bearings. "What is that noise outside?"

"Optimus and Grimwing are taking on the other Predacons." Arcee explained. "Shockwave and Starscream are still in here though."

"Knock Out?" Predaking questioned.

"Likely here as well." Arcee replied. They two of them made their way out of the room, but after the second bang and hail of laser fire, she stopped as Bumblebee and Smokescreen came out of a room further down. Her eyes were locked on the form hanging between them, arms slung limply over their shoulders. "Why is Knock Out not secured?"

"He's not going to be much of a threat right now." Bumblebee said, his gaze somewhat sympathetic as he looked at the red mech's sorry state.

"Whatever Shockwave did, it made him delirious." Smokescreen replied.

"Shockwave wasn't there?" Arcee pressed.

Bumblebee shook his head. "And not only that but-" he grimaced. "Starscream's corpse was lying on the floor, shot right through the spark chamber. Shockwave killed him."

"How come he didn't kill Knock Out too?" Arcee wondered.

Predaking walked forward, both Bumblebee and Smokescreen tensing as the Predacon stood in front of them. His gaze was only on Knock Out, and he leaned down to breath in deeply, frowning as he narrowed his optics. "His scent is different, sweeter, like Jack's in a way." He blinked, wings twitching. "Fertile."

Smokescreen pulled Knock Out away, slipping him from 'Bee's grasp and glaring up at Predaking. "Knock Out might be a creeper, but don't think you can switch gears and go after him now."

Predaking looked offended at the idea. "I am not," he snapped, "I only pointed out he has the same type of alteration to his scent Jack possesses. Shockwave already appears to have succeeded in what wanted."

Arcee gritted her denta. Shockwave left Jack on the Nemesis because he thought of 'reclaiming' him later. "Shockwave is doing what he did with Jack; he's going to let us have him now and take him back after."

Another bang erupted from outside, shrieks ringing out.

Bumblebee snapped to attention. "Look, we can't just stand here." He looked at Smokescreen. "Take Knock Out for Ratchet to look over, _then_ put him into a cell. Arcee, you and I are going to help Optimus and Grimwing. Predaking," he faltered, likely realizing that the Predacon wasn't on their side, "go-do whatever you want."

The Predacon snorted.

Bumblebee ignored it, and held a digit to his helm. "Ratchet, we need a groundbridge at our location, Smokescreen's coming back with Knock Out and he needs to get checked over." he said, but with what reply Ratchet gave, it made the yellow mech's optics cycle wide open. "Jack did _what?!"_

Arcee narrowed her optics. "What's going on?" she demanded, even as Predaking glared fiercely at Bumblebee as though it would make him talk faster.

Even though 'Bee did, it was debatable if it was that or urgency. "The blue and white Predacon went after the Nemesis to get Jack, and Jack went to _fight him."_

Arcee's spark jumped as Predaking's optics widened. "What?" she yelled. "'Bee, tell Ratchet to get a bridge here ASAP, I have to-"

"Arcee." Bumblebee said firmly. "We have to help Optimus. Smokescreen will help Jack."

The blue and yellow mech nodded, for once looking completely serious. "Yeah, won't let that worse creep touch Jack."

"I will accompany you." Predaking said firmly, but Arcee saw that Bumblebee didn't look very surprised.

'Bee held his digit to his head again. "Ratchet, get the bridge here _now_." He winced, as Arcee could also imagine how well the medic took to _that_ tone.

The bridge though did appear, and Smokescreen heft Knock Out over his shoulder before running into it, and Predaking followed closely behind.

When it closed, Bumblebee looked at Arcee. "Come on, we have to go help Optimus."

Much as she wanted to get back to aid Jack, she nodded and both she and Bumblebee made a break for the exit, the sounds of blaster fire intensifying as a new roar broke through the air.

Arcee groaned. "What _now?"_

* * *

Jack groaned as the world spun, aches coursing through his body as he struggled to move off the heap. It was with a faint hope the drop had killed Skystalker, but his optics widened as the form shifted underneath him, and Jack let out a yelp as a servo grabbed his arm and Jack was pulled down. His not-stomach churned, optics cycled wide as Skystalker crawled on top of him. "Get off me!"

Skystalker hissed as Jack kicked him in the gut, but held Jack's arms tightly, claws piercing the metal skin. "You threw yourself at me, you have given up your right to back out."

"The hell I have!" Jack snarled, curling his legs to his chest and slammed them into the Predacon's chest. Skystalker grunted as his grip loosened just a bit, but it gave Jack the chance to wrench one arm free and smashed his fist across the Predacon's face. Skystalker howled as the force cracked one of his optics and Jack scurried out from under him.

Skystalker's other optic glared as he held his face, other servo reaching for Jack but missing his arm. Jack yelped as his tail was caught though, and the Predacon pulled him back down. He grabbed Jack's arm and climbed back on top of him, knees digging into the back of Jack's legs to a painful degree. "You should not have done that."

Jack struggled to get away, flailing his other arm to catch Skystalker in the face again, but the Predacon grabbed his wrist and pulled his other arm up, gripping both above his head. Jack's optics squeezed shut briefly, bravery failing him as his reckless want to just _end this_ would not end well after all. He gritted his denta as Skystalker leaned in close and kissed his neck, lips roving up the metal to the base of Jack's throat, denta grazing the plating.

Jack was close enough to see his broken reflection in the cracked yellow optic glass, the fear on his own face- Jack's optics burned bright blue, and he snarled as he slammed his forehead against Skystalker's hard enough to dislodge the bastard's servos. Jack pulled his elbow and knocked the Predacon upside the jaw, making sure his tail was pulled close as he scurried out from under him again.

Skystalker growled deeply as he glared at Jack. "You should not have done that, now I will have to use extreme force."

Jack narrowed his optics, clenching his fists as he tensed for a fight. "Is that what you're calling it?"

A strange _whirr_ sound rang out, and Jack's optics caught sight of a large form falling from the hull of the Nemesis, but his optics widened as he realized it was _two_ forms.

"Cannonball!"

Two voices rang out, and perhaps on instinct Skystalker turned around-only for an Apex-Armored Miko and Cindersaur to punch the Predacon with enough force to send him crashing through the roof into the abyss below.

Jack stared at them, jaw slackening as he struggled to speak. "Y-huh- _what?"_

Cindersaur scurried around the hold in the roof to stall before him, worriedly looking him over. "Are you alright, bro?"

Miko came up next, brow furrowed. "It looked like things were about to get dicey there."

Jack vented deeply as he regained his bearings. "Thank you for saving me." He said sincerely, but then his optics burned again. "What were you two thinking?! Do you realize how dangerous that was? What if you fell through? What if it didn't work? Why didn't you go to the command center like Ratchet told you?"

"Chill, Jack!" Miko shouted. "I got Cinder to see that following that creep wasn't a good health plan."

"I was already doubting, but…seeing Skystalker on top of you," Cinder's expression crumpled, "I didn't want to be a part of that, to follow someone who'd _let that happen."_ She hugged herself, curling into herself.

Jack let himself unwind as he gently patted her arm because he couldn't reach her shoulder, marveling briefly how in beast mode she was taller by almost a foot. He guessed she was bigger than his beast mode. "I'm not happy you didn't do what Ratchet said, but I can't be _not_ happy to see you both." His optics hardened. "Don't make a habit of jumping out of airships."

"Only if you agree not to go fight psycho Preds by yourself." Miko retorted.

Though still shaken by what was going to happen, Jack's chuckle was weak. "Deal."

The roof rumbled, and a _crash_ rang out as Skystalker came flying up from the side of the building in beast mode. The Predacon widened its wings before flinging two disks at them. Cindersaur jumped back and Miko tackled Jack out of the way.

"That won't work this time, creep!" Miko shouted, and Skystalker growled as he landed on the roof.

The Predacon didn't transform though, and he appeared to be sucking in a breath, but Jack's optics widened as he realized what was going to happen.

Cinder came to stand in front of them, hunched over. "You're about to find out why I'm called Cindersaur!"

In one large breath, fire spewed in a jet stream out of her mouth at the same time a freezing cold beam came from Skystalker's. Fire and ice clashed, meeting in the middle as neither was willing to give up first. Despite the advantage of fire, Cinder's inexperience levelled her power to Skystalker's even if his shouldn't have lasted as long against hers.

Jack though knew eventually the stalemate had to give. He looked around the area, optics narrowing as he saw a large piece of metal, and banked around Cinder to dive for it, bringing it to his chest as he rolled to his pedes and threw it off Skystalker's face, the Predacon screeching as it lodged into his other optic, yellow glass falling to the ground.

Cindersaur's flames crashed into Skystalker, with the Predacon's plating lighting on fire and he thrashed before the floor collapsed underneath him from the force. The screech echoed around them, and Jack cautiously peered over the edge, optics cycling wide as he saw the scorching metal impaled on a jutting spike, body motionless.

Jack vented deeply. "He's…he's dead."

* * *

The outside of the laboratory was a mess; deep gouges in the ground, scorch marks and laser fire carved into the building while around it debris was littered from the explosion of missiles. The combatants were not fairing much better. Optimus' frame was marred with scratches from being flung or smacked into the building walls, but had made sure to avoid Circuit's stinger as per Grimwing's warning.

He could see it frustrated the Predacon to not use her trump card.

Grimwing himself was up against the other two Predacons, his armor scorched from their flame breaths and scars engraved from their beak or claws. He and Optimus stood tight together, both venting so heavily the atmosphere was thick and heavy as their frames heaved.

Energon had been drawn from all, the bleeding marks and deep gouges running down their frames and streaking the ground. Though Grimwing and Optimus were more organized than Skylynx and Darksteel going at whatever crossed their path, and Circuit trying to take one of them out with her siphon claw, but the three had numbers and sheer force of power on their side.

Optimus glanced over when the sound of a groundbridge opened, and he tensed when the form broke through. A rampaging Tyrannosaurus rex came charging out, followed by a Stegosaurus, a Triceratops, an Apatosaurus, and a Pteranodon. When he saw them charging for them, Optimus stepped in front of Grimwing to show that _he_ was not to be attacked.

Grimlock's optics narrowed, but tackled Darksteel instead while Swoop went after Circuit as she launched herself into the air. Skylynx avoided being speared by Slug's horns, only to get knocked away with Snarl's tail. Sludge tried to attack Circuit by knocking her out with his tail, but Circuit counteracted with her own, causing Sludge to howl as he staggered and collapsed to his knees. Swoop pulled back, staring between them somewhat incredulously.

Grimlock had looked up at the howl, snorting as his teeth bared as he glared daggers at Circuit. She circled around them, purple optics narrowed. The T-rex tossed Darksteel at Slug and the Triceratops knocked into the Predacon, pushing him back. Skylynx growled and charged at Slug, but Snarl swatted him in the side.

With Optimus and Grimwing, the former's processor was thinking fast, looking between the Dinobots and the groundbridge, and the last to come out was the large, green mech. "Bulkhead, where did you find the Dinobots?"

"Underground, long story." Bulkhead replied.

Back in the fight, Swoop tried to cuff Circuit, but she swung her tail and he was forced to fall back. Grimwing flew up, optics narrowed as Circuit hissed and coiled her tail. The ursagryph got between Circuit and Swoop, grunting as his energon began to drain as the siphon claw lodged into his shoulder, but he kept the bot in his arms held tight. Swoop stared at him with wide optics, while Circuit seemed to sneer at Grimwing.

Grimwing weakly wrapped one arm around the tail, keeping his grip tight as he tucked his wings back. The Predacon let gravity do the rest, dropping like a rock…and took Circuit with him. She screeched, futilely trying to flap her wings as Grimwing's weight was too much for her frame-type to go against.

Grimwing landed on his back, pinning down Circuit's tail and Optimus jumped from his grasp, energon blade raised as he landed on Circuit's back and sliced through her wing, cutting it clean off. Circuit shrieked as she collapsed onto the ground, but reached back and grabbed Optimus before throwing him into the air.

The red and blue bot sailed across the sky, but Swoop dove in and grabbed Optimus by the shoulders with his talons.

Circuit growled, but looked back at the roar, and in root mode Grimlock swung his sword and in one motion, the Predacon's head fell off, the body slumping moments later.

There was a silence spread over the field, and Skylynx and Darksteel were both stunned, staring at the corpse of their so-called leader, and her slayer. Skylynx didn't fight as he was pushed to the ground, blinking dazedly. Darksteel hissed even as he stopped fighting as well, but still struggled to transform into root mode as Slug pinned him to the ground.

"Okay, I give! Get off me you-ah!" The Predacon snarled as Slug stomped on his back to cut him off.

Grimlock walked up to Grimwing, and leaned down to roll him over before pulling the siphon claw out. He pushed the Predacon onto his stomach to relieve his shoulder. "What she do to you and Sludge?"

Grimwing stared at him, and struggled to transform, grunting as the wound widened and shuddered. "It makes you think…you're energon is drained."

"Yours is worse though." Grimlock muttered. His visor burned for a moment, but he glanced over his shoulder. "Snarl! Fix him!"

As Snarl sprinted over to the Predacon and transformed to look over the injury, Swoop came in for a landing and once at ground-level, he let Optimus land on his pedes before landing himself.

"Thank you, Swoop." Optimus said, and the Dinobot preened before transforming.

Bulkhead came walking up, and gave a thumbs-up. "Good job, Beaky." He said, but Swoop huffed before stalking over to the other Dinobots. "And here I thought we were starting to get along."

"Bulkhead, how did you convince the Dinobots to assist us?" Optimus questioned, watching as Grimlock glared up at the laboratory.

The green mech blinked, and rubbed the back of his head. "Well…"

 _"So here's the deal, I know where Shockwave's lab is, come and help us you get a shot at payback."_

 _Grimlock glared at him. "Fine."_

"…and here we are." Bulkhead vented noisily. "There's kinda of more to it, but that's the important part here."

"I will expect a more in-depth report once we retrieve Wheeljack and regroup on the Nemesis." Optimus said.

Grimlock looked up at that, visor burning redder. "Nemesis?"

"When we defeated Megatron, we commandeered his ship." Optimus explained.

Short, rapid pacing rang out as Arcee and Bumblebee came out, but both stopped as they took in the scene.

"What happ-" Bumblebee's question was cut off by Grimlock's furious demand.

"Where is Shockwave!"

Bumblebee stared up at him, as though unable to believe his optics. "Grimlock?"

"Shockwave isn't here, he took off when he found out we were here." Arcee explained.

Grimlock growled deep in his throat before he transformed and one breathed spewed fire at the walls of the building, allowing the flames to spread along the spires and slip into the building.

Arcee stared in disbelief. "Grimlock, what are you doing?!"

The T-rex snorted as he transformed back to root mode. "No Shockwave, no point being here." He glared at the burning building. "No point _this_ being here."

Arcee glared fiercely back at him. "You can't just go around burning things down! There could have been things in that could give us some clue about where he went! Now all we're going to get is slag."

Swoop crossed his arms, frowning. "If this is how you're like, no wonder Chromia doesn't talk about you."

Arcee tensed up, optics widening as a pained expression crossed her face. "Chromia?" she whispered.

Bulkhead grimaced. "Yeah…there's part of that 'something more' going on I still need to explain."


	20. Chapter 20

Stepping back onto the Nemesis should have brought back _some_ kind of emotions, knowing this was the place he was so undignifiedly blasted out of. The first thing he laid optics on though when stepping onto the ship was that red and blue bot, who stood just as tensely.

 _"You!"_ Both of them shouted, but Smokescreen shoved past him with Knock Out over his shoulder.

"Beat each other up after, we gotta go save Jack!" Smokescreen hauled a groaning Knock Out over to Ratchet, who was startled when the mech shoved the other medic into his arms. "Shockwave did some crazy thing to him, 'Bee said find out what's wrong, gotta go, bye!"

Predaking glared at the red and blue mech, who narrowed his optics right back. The Predacon glanced at Knock Out as he hurried by, but focused on following after Smokescreen to the landing dock. Predaking couldn't stop the grimace from forming. Of course it would be here.

Smokescreen pushed the button to lift the door, and gestured insistently to the open air. "Well? Transform already and let's go."

Predaking felt a swell of indignation at the implication. "You think I will let you climb on my back like some…some _animal?"_

Smokescreen scowled at him. "Right now we don't have time to argue; so unless you have a better idea-hey, what are you doing?!"

Predaking had grabbed the insolent blue and yellow mech by the arm, and dragged him over to the edge of the dock. "I do, in fact." He tossed Smokescreen overboard, the bot screaming in surprise before Predaking transformed and flew down to catch him in his claws.

"You pit-fragging-ahh!" Smokescreen's cursing was cut off the Predacon diving down to where he spotted Jack, an awake Cinder, and that human girl he vaguely recalled.

Predaking dropped Smokescreen onto the building once close enough, and transformed back into root mode. His optics looked over Jack's frame, who was tense, likely from his arrival. "Are you hurt? Where is Skystalker?"

"Yeah, we're is that creep so we can mess him up!" Smokescreen added as he jumped to his pedes.

Jack glanced at them both, his expression flat. "Down there." He pointed with a sharp digit to the hole in the roof they stood on.

Smokescreen looked over, and jerked back. "What the slag?"

Predaking was a bit less startled, simply because of his own disdain for Skystalker. "How did this happen?"

"Cinder caught that creep with her fire after Jack nailed him in the optic and fell through the roof." The human girl recited.

Smokescreen rubbed the back of his head, looking around awkwardly. "Well, I feel kind of useless." He glanced over at Jack. "Thought it was my chance to save you."

Jack blinked slowly, surprised as the girl began snickering. "Why?"

Predaking eyed Smokescreen suspiciously and wondered if he would have more competition than just Knock Out. He shook his head. _No, you don't deserve to think you are entitled; it's Jack's choice, not yours._ He could though agree with Smokescreen's sentiment. It was very awkward to come and try and save Jack, only to find he had handled himself fine.

Cindersaur peered at Predaking, narrowing her optics. "Are you here to take Jack away too?"

Predaking blinked, for once a bit startled. "No." he hated how baffled he sounded.

It made Cindersaur beam, a terrifying thing on its own with her mouth full of sharp, pointy denta. "Then we shouldn't have a problem."

The human girl punched her fist, the sound punctuated with the clanging of the metal armor she wore. "And don't think we're not gonna mess you up if you even _think_ about it."

Jack slapped a hand over his face, his face flushing a deeper blue. "I don't need you to protect me."

"Nuh-uh," Jack tensed as Cindersaur picked up him, hugging him tightly, and he grimaced from the grip, "I'm your big sister, it's my job to protect you."

"I'm older than you." Jack wheezed out.

"Well I'm taller." Cindersaur retorted, huffing as she set Jack back down. He shot the human girl a withering glare as she snickered.

"Hate to interrupt," Smokescreen cut in, wincing as he held a digit to his helm, "but Ratchet wants to know what's going on."

"Just tell him Miko, Cinder and I took care of Skystalker." Jack said.

Smokescreen relayed the information, and cringed. "Ratchet said to get out afts back to the ship then."

"Sounds like you're about to get torn a new one." Miko said.

Jack glared at her. "I think you mean _the three of us_ since you two didn't do what you were supposed too."

Miko's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious! We saved you!"

"I'm grateful, but we're still going to get yelled at for being reckless." Jack said, and a glowing green portal appeared a few feet away. "Who wants to go first?"

"No way am I going first." Miko turned away and crossed her arms.

Cindersaur snorted, and without prompt grabbed both Miko and Jack. "Lets go together then!" The two protested, but the Predacon charged through the portal.

Smokescreen blinked, and glanced up at Predaking. "You taking off?"

"While I do not like any of you, Autobots…I will stay for now simply to make sure Jack is okay." Predaking said.

"Jack looked fine to me." Smokescreen said, but narrowed his optics suspiciously. "Or are you actually worried about Knock Out?"

"Do not be absurd." Predaking retorted, but some small part of him _did_ wonder about Knock Out's condition. He refused to allow it to be concern though. The Predacon made his way through the portal, Smokescreen close behind and they stepped onto the bridge.

Just in time it appeared, as the Autobot medic looked to be gearing up for a rant. "I don't even know where to start with you three!" he shouted, and when Miko tried to speak, he cut her off. "No, I know what you were trying to do; going off on your own, ignoring orders – clearly you're more reckless than I thought!"

Cindersaur ducked under the reprimanding, while Miko only scowled and crossed her arms again, but Jack kept silent and stony.

Finally, Ratchet's tangent started to die down, and his whole frame sagged. "Most importantly, you could have been hurt, or worse."

Jack glanced at Cindersaur and Miko. "We're not though." He said quietly.

"You were extremely lucky that this Predacon didn't appear to have any experience." Ratchet replied.

"Does that mean you're gonna teach us how to fight?" Miko asked.

Cindersaur's tail wagged. "I'd like to learn how to fight."

Ratchet balked, jerking back with wide optics as though the idea horrified him. "No, absolutely n-"

"Doctor, if I may speak?" The medic looked surprised as the red and blue bot spoke up, who briefly met Predaking's gaze with a glare of his own before glancing at the Miko, Jack and Cindersaur. "I agree what they did was reckless, and careless to go out without a plan. Perhaps though, should such a time ever arise again when they would be forced to take action, it would be best if they had the knowledge of how to defend themselves."

Ratchet looked incredulously at the red and blue mech. "Ultra Magnus, you can't be seriously considering-"

"That we teach them to fight? Yes." The mech replied seriously.

Miko pumped her fist into the air. "You're not such a stick in the mud after all, Shoulder Pads."

"Commander." Ultra Magnus said sternly. "If you want to be a part of this unit, you will address me as such."

Miko likely hadn't heard, as she was too busy jumping up and down with joy, whooping excitedly.

Ratchet rubbed his brow plate. "Excuse me, I need to go check on Knock Out and mourn for my peace of mind."

Jack narrowed his optics. "Knock Out? What happened to him?"

"Shockwave shot him up with something, he's barely conscious." Smokescreen relayed.

"During the short time you were gone, I secured him before sedating him." Ratchet explained. "I will be back shortly, don't touch anything."

Smokescreen grumbled under his breath.

Jack shook his head, but as the sound of a door opened and closed, he stiffened. Cindersaur was more overt, sniffing the air and her tail wagged. Predaking decided it was time to talk to them, though he barely understood it himself. "What's that smell?" Jack asked.

"It smells good." Cindersaur added dreamily.

Predaking grimaced, remembering how he had almost been pulled in by the scent. "It's Knock Out." He answered, and both Jack and Cindersaur looked at him. "I do not understand what Shockwave did to him, but it has changed his scent in a…pleasing way."

Jack grimaced, but Cindersaur only looked confused by his reaction. Ah, that's right, she wouldn't know who Knock Out was if Shockwave didn't think him 'important' enough to add to her information package.

Slowly, Jack vented heavily. "I…I'm not sure how I feel about this."

Predaking wouldn't presume to know what Jack thought, not anymore. Ignorance could have excused his previous behavior, but he would not use it as an easy out. Perhaps though it was best if he did not linger for too long.

The sound of the console beeping brought his attention back to the present, and Ultra Magnus made his way over to the console, allowing the comm. to ring throughout the room.

"Ratchet, we require a groundbridge."

"Optimus, it's Ultra Magnus; Ratchet is overseeing Knock Out for the moment." The red and blue mech said.

There was a pause on the other line. "It is good to hear your voice again, are you doing well?"

"I would have been better if I could have participated in aiding anyone." Ultra Magnus said, but shook his head. "Ratchet had your co-ordinates locked from a previous bridge, are you returning to the Nemesis?"

Optimus paused again, longer this time. "Of a sort. I will be returning with company, but once we arrive you will send another groundbridge to be redirected from the co-ordinates Bulkhead gave, so he may retrieve Wheeljack."

"What? What happened out there!" Miko demanded.

"It would be best if he explained it to you himself. Optimus out."

When the line cut, Miko let out a sharp yell. "Why don't we ever get told anything!"

"If you hadn't left when I told you not too, you would have been able to talk to Bulkhead when he called." Jack said, and Miko scowled at him while Ultra Magnus pressed a key and soon a glowing portal appeared in the room.

It did not take long for Optimus to step through, Bumblebee following after him. Another mech walked in after them, Ultra Magnus staring at the green bot with the red visor. The portal closed behind the new mech, but his visored gazed settled on Predaking for a long moment.

"I suppose I can't attack him either." He said bluntly, and Predaking narrowed his optics.

"It would be best not to start a fight." Optimus said, and the mech snorted.

"He also came to help Smokescreen out with the Predacon attacking the ship." Bumblebee added. "Which, I attack it since you're all here it worked out pretty well."

Smokescreen rubbed the back of his head. "About that, well, by the time Predaking and I got here; Jack, Miko and Sharky here already took care of it."

"Sharky?" Cindersaur gestured to herself, and looked at Miko. "Do I really look like a shark – whatever that is."

Miko furrowed her brow. "I can kinda see it, mostly in the teeth and fin. Sharks definitely can't breathe fire, so you're way more awesome."

Bumblebee grimaced at the mention. "Great, someone else we need to worry about burning things down." The green mech glanced at him, visor flaring, and Bumblebee quickly continued. "Though not exactly a useless thing to have. Right, Grimlock?"

The green mech snorted, but looked at Cindersaur. "You burn anything yet?"

Cindersaur nodded. "Sky-the Predacon," she grimaced, "he was trying to-to hurt my brother," she nodded to Jack, "so I-" her blue optics hardened, "so I lit him on fire."

Grimlock nodded. "Good, don't let anyone mess with your unit." Cindersaur relaxed slightly, and it likely helped Blackbeak had come out of hiding to climb onto her shoulder.

"Though I was wondering, where's Grimwing?" Jack asked.

"He went with Bulkhead, Arcee and the rest of the Grimlock's Dinobots get Wheeljack and made sure to keep on eye on the Predacons who surrendered." Bumblebee replied.

Predaking tensed up, spark thudding but he did not let it cloud him. "They surrendered? So some are alive?"

"Seeing Grimlock chop Circuit's head off kind of convinced them following after Shockwave," Bumblebee paused as Grimlock growled deeply at the name before he continued, "wasn't in their best interest. They agreed to go help the other Dinobots clear up the town they were staying in, but Grimwing wanted to keep on optic on them."

"No need, my team can keep them in line." Grimlock said confidently.

"I would still like to meet them." Predaking said, trying to keep calm. Inside, he felt the surge of hope strengthen. He could accept Jack as his own mech, and it was clear from the way Cindersaur and Miko interacted she would choose the human, and Predaking suspected Grimwing would choose her and Jack over him. _Perhaps these two Predacons and I could actually get along._

* * *

"I'd feel a lot better about this if those two secured." Arcee said, her optics glancing at Darksteel and Skylynx, both of who were being trailed by Grimwing and the Dinobots.

"Nowhere to go, we'd mess them up." Sludge said.

Slug nodded. "That's right, Discount-Chromia."

Arcee's frame tensed up, scowling in the triceratops' direction. She glanced over at Bulkhead. "I thought they only didn't like the Wreckers?"

Bulkhead rubbed the back of his neck. "No, it's more like everyone. They don't really work well with others except for each other." He glanced up ahead at the town just a few feet from them. "Really wondering how they got along so well with these bots."

"We help each other out." Swoop piped up, and Bulkhead looked startled, causing the Dinobot to snort. "We can _hear you_ , you know."

"Right." Bulkhead said awkwardly. He cleared his vents when they walked past the gate. "I'm gonna go check on 'Jackie then."

Arcee glanced at him as he left, before she looked at the rest of the group. "What about them?" she nodded at the enemy Predacons. Could they be considered that though still? It didn't feel like the situation with Knock Out, where he had only 'defected' due to opportunity – though Arcee suspected a different reason – but these two gave up when their leader was killed, which made it harder to discern their intentions.

"We're going to get them to work on helping us find a way to tunnel out of here." Snarl said.

Darksteel bristled. "If you think we're just going to roll over and-ow!" he clutched his head when Sludge cuffed him upside the helm.

"You wanna stay? You're gonna pull your weight." The Dinobot said.

"Which shouldn't be a probably given your size." Slug said in a deadpan manner.

Darksteel looked confused. "What?"

"He said you're heavy." Skylynx said flatly, and Darksteel glared at Slug.

"When I am certain they will not cause trouble," Grimwing gave his 'brethren' a stern glare that made both duck down, "I will be returning to see Cinder. Do you think Jack would object if I were too…stay with him?"

Arcee blinked, but then narrowed her optics suspiciously. "Why?"

Grimwing vented. "It's understandable you are suspicious of my intentions given Shockwave's proclivities." He paused to let the Dinobots growl at the name before continuing. "I do not see Jack in a romantic light, I only wish to be there to help him."

"Well, you'll have to talk to him about that." Arcee said, reluctantly agreeing that Jack would at least need some help. If Grimwing were with him, they could at least train with each other about to fight off a Predacon. _He needs to learn how to fight Cybertronian opponents too though._ It didn't hurt to be prepared, though Arcee wished Jack didn't have to.

Shockwave was still out there though, planning who-knows-what, and that final rogue Predacon couldn't be discounted either.

"I'm going to take a look around." Arcee said. "Just to clear my processor."

"Lot of good that will do ya down here." Slug muttered, but the femme ignored him as she made her way through the town.

Buildings were haphazardly made, but the materials likely wouldn't have been the best pieces given the ravaged wasteland Cybertron had been. Arcee saw mechs and femmes walking around, sending her cautious glances as they passed by her.

Arcee caught a flash of blue, her optics sharpening as she saw a familiar blue form rushing away. She chased after the form, and caught the tail-end of a transformation into a two-wheeler. Arcee transformed and continued after the other vehicle. "Chromia, wait!"

The chase went out of town, and along the shallow energon sea until the other femme transformed back into root mode and whirled around with a n angry glare in her optics. She watched angrily as Arcee pulled up and transformed, and pulled the other femme into a tight hug.

"I thought you were dead." Arcee whispered. "All this time you've been alive? Why didn't you ever try to find me?"

"Why didn't you ever try to find _me?"_ Chromia asked tightly. Arcee frowned as she looked up at the taller femme, and stumbled back when Chromia shoved Arcee away from herself. "All your talk of how we'll always have each other's back, that 'big sister is always there for you' spiel you told me, where was it when I needed you?"

Arcee stared at her, but narrowed her optics as she clenched her fist. "You were in your adult frame, I thought you could handle being in a different unit than me. What do you want me to say, sorry?"

Chromia scowled at her. "As if saying sorry will take back those countless sols I spent trapped and bleeding out in a collapsed building." She said scathingly. "I thought I was going to die, but I-" she stopped, vents cycling deeply as she clenched her fist, "I thought to myself 'Arcee wouldn't just give up, she'd fight' so I did what I could to pull myself from the wreckage.

"I got lucky, some survivors from Kalis took pity on me and brought me to their medic. Even now I can't tell how long it took before I was healed up. But you were wrong," Chromia frowned and looked away, "I did try to find you though. I never gave my name, but imagine my surprise when they told me you were stationed somewhere in Iacon. I looked for you, and do you know what I found?"

Arcee's spark pulsed rapidly. She felt a sense of dread, because it seemed Chromia had been spending _years_ building up this disdain. "No."

"I found you laughing and speaking to a mech like you both knew each other for yours. I heard you call him 'partner' and knew you had abandoned me!" Chromia snarled.

Arcee energon froze. _Partner? Tailgate._ Though it still hurt to think about, it made it easier to realize what Chromia meant. "And you think that means I _replaced_ you? I would never do that, since we were younglings it's been me and you. I did everything I could to protect you. It's why we joined the Autobots-"

"Why you made me join." Chromia said coldly, and Arcee stopped short. "I never wanted to fight in this war."

"I still tried to protect you." Arcee said fiercely. "Kalis had started taking too much of an 'us versus them' approach. If you weren't an Autobot, you would always be suspected of being a Decepticon. I wanted things to be better for us." Arcee held out her servos, optics softening. "They still can be. I'm here now, and I want to make up for the time we've been apart."

Chromia stared at her servos, and slowly raised one of hers. She reached out tentatively, but then her optics hardened and she slapped Arcee's servos away. "It's too late for that." She stormed past Arcee and transformed. "Go back to that partner of yours."

Arcee whirled around, her retort caught in her vocalizer. Chromia had no idea about Tailgate, did she? If she'd been down here all this time, she couldn't have known he was dead. She couldn't have known about Jack. Arcee lowered her servos to her sides, and vented deeply. Her gaze trailed sadly after Chromia, and she closed her optics for a moment.

Venting once more, Arcee made her way back to town. This had not gone well.

* * *

Jack vented quietly in relief once Grimlock's yelling was no longer ringing in his audios. The Dinobot had not taken well to Optimus trying to 'recall' his team, and it seemed he only came onto the ship so he could get his team permanently stationed with the town they were helping. From the shouting before Jack high-tailed it out, it seemed like the Dinobots had not been seen particularly favorable by the Autobots after Shockwave got through with them.

It sounded like they hadn't gotten along with anyone _before_ that, but it was like the sudden 'alienness' of the Dinobots alt-forms was implicit permission to treat them differently.

Jack did not miss that while Miko and Cinder had gone off to talk more, even if Miko expression interest in stories Bulkhead told her, even she didn't want to be in the middle of the shouting, that Predaking in fact hadn't moved at all. Jack knew the Predacon wanted to be with his own kind, so was he thinking of going with Grimlock back to this town where there were still more?

Jack shook his head. _Its none of my business what he decides, long as he doesn't start thinking I'm his mate again._ He walked into a room, but froze as his optics found a red form lying on a berth, servos secured to the slab edges. Jack sniffed involuntarily, grimacing as he found that despite how awful Knock Out looked, he smelled very nice. _And that's my cue to leave._

"J-Jack?"

Jack froze, clenching his fists as he looked over his shoulder to see Knock Out blearily looking at him. The red mech's expression was scrunched, as if it hurt trying to see him. "You're awake, how much did Ratchet give you?"

"Enough to make the pain…dull." Knock Out said, struggling to say each word. "You're safe…good."

Jack wrapped his arms around himself, tail doing the same as it coiled around his waist. He felt distinctly uncomfortable with how much he actually _pitied_ Knock Out right now. This wasn't the same mech he met on the Nemesis, or even the same one who told him to use his EMP howl on everyone. "And you…" he couldn't come up with anything to say, biting his glossa as he regretted speaking at all.

"Jack, I know you don't…have to believe me when I say this…but I'm sorry." Knock Out's expression scrunched, so he missed how Jack's optics flew wide open in shock and he took a bewildered step back. "I know what I did to you was…wrong, and I can never make up for it…I'm so sorry."

Jack stared at him with a stony expression, while on the inside he was freaking out. What did Knock Out expect to accomplish with this? Was it sympathy points? Did he expect Jack to just forgive him? "Why are you telling me this?"

Despite how much it looked like it hurt, Knock Out grimaced. "I wanted your love, and I ruined your life to get it…I deserve this for hurting you."

Jack vented slowly. "No one deserves Shockwave." He could at least mean that, despite how he felt.

"I'm sorry." Knock Out repeated quietly. He closed his optics, but from the look of things, he didn't expect an answer.

Jack wasn't sure what he could have said anyway. It looked like Knock Out was changing on the inside, and Jack grimaced at how it sounded. Realizing he just couldn't find anything to say, Jack walked out of the room.

It wasn't long though before Predaking came around the corner, and Jack vented once again. _This whole thing feels familiar_.

Predaking caught sight of him, and he walked up but stopped himself from getting too close. "I decided to go with Grimlock to meet my brethren."

"I figured." Jack said. He tilted his head. "And you tracked me down to tell me that?"

"I…wanted to say goodbye." Predaking hunkered into himself awkwardly, optics glancing away. He looked…nervous.

Jack frowned, something niggling at the back of his mind recently. "Predaking, how old are you?"

The Predacon furrowed his optic ridges. "Physically I am adult, and Shockwave had explained I am mentally one as well."

"Yet you're also incredibly ignorant." Jack pointed out.

Predaking glowered at him. "And you're still just as infuriating." He looked away again, this time morosely. "I only wanted to see that you were still safe."

Jack's edge softened when the saw the sincerity in the mech's optics. "And I know I didn't say it before but…thank you, for saving me before."

Predaking nodded seriously. "I will always be there for you." He stiffened, as though surprised the words came out at all, and quickly lowered his gaze. "No matter what your decision regarding me may be." He paused, and vented softly. "I apologize for putting you on the spot…trying to better myself still has a ways to go."

"You are trying though." Jack pointed out. "You're here and not attacking my friends."

"Which had not been easy." Predaking admitted. "Should you ever decide to return to Cybertron, I hope to be a better mech. One who…" he glanced at Jack, almost hesitantly, "may find himself worthy to one day be called your friend."

Jack stiffened, searching the Predacon's face for any sign of an ulterior motive. He didn't doubt that Predaking still had feelings for him as those didn't just go away, but he could see no trace of that in his optics. _He…really would be happy only being my friend?_ Still, Jack wanted to be sure. "And if I said that's all we'd ever be?"

"I would respect your decision." Predaking said seriously.

Jack found himself smiling slightly. After being constantly treated like a prize by Skystalker, having the freedom to _choose_ was something he'd never give up. Though in somewhat darker thoughts, he would never forgive Shockwave most of all for continuing to try and take that right away from him.

 _I hope the Autobots find you, and you get what you deserve._

* * *

Slowly, Lazerback climbed over the debris and ruins of a different lab that he woke up in. He sniffed the air, smelling his target was close. In his quest to find more energon and material for his spacebridge, he had inadvertently come across all the yelling and roaring of a battle. To his surprise, by the time he arrived, he found the decapitated body of Circuit, and searching inside that seeker's burned remains.

In fact, the whole place had been burned so badly that nothing was of use to him. Unfortunately. Though in a turn-around, it gave him an idea. Which is what led him on his current hunt. He slinked closer to the target, optics locked on the bulky form trekking slowly through the ruins, perhaps also trying to find something useful.

Lazerback's purple optics glowed. Oh, he'd find something useful. Transforming to root mode, he spoke up. "Hello, Creator."

Shockwave turned, plasma cannon raised. Perhaps rightly so, he did not lower it when he saw it was Lazerback. "Why have you come here?"

Lazerback schooled his features to seem remorseful. "I know how it must have looked when I escaped, but you must understand: I was feral, and not in control of myself at the time." He slowly knelt to his knees, lowering his head to hide the disdain for humbling himself. "I plead forgiveness for such unruly actions."

Shockwave stared at him, before slowly lowering his cannon. "You were feral, it is illogical to expect you to know any better."

Lazerback glared at the ground, but when he looked at the mech, he smiled to show his gratitude. "Thank you for understanding, Master. I only wish to serve you and make up for my mistake."

"Quite." Shockwave said shortly. "Come then, we have much to prepare for."

"Oh? Such as?" Lazerback followed after the mech, unable to believe that his ruse was actually working. He smirked internally. It wasn't exactly hard though, and he knew what to really say to get the mech to accept him. "Will we be retrieving Ripclaw?"

Shockwave's optics cycled for the briefest of moments. "In time. For now there is planning to be done."

Lazerback's optics glowed brighter. "Oh, I simply can't wait for what's in store next."


	21. Epilogue

_Jack leaned against the console, tilting his head as he watched Predaking narrow his optics at Grimlock as he sized him up. Everyone was gathered back on the bridge, and Ratchet came back from checking over Knock Out._

 _"What Shockwave did to him is unheard of." Ratchet said. "For the time being I will remain on the Nemesis until I am sure Knock Out is not going to relapse and can be fit to go back into a holding cell."_

 _Optimus nodded, and glanced over at Ultra Magnus. "And you are certain you wish to accompany Jack, Miko, and Cindersaur back to Earth?"_

 _The other red and blue mech nodded. "I am certain. They need training, and luck nor anymore reckless stunts will save them."_

 _Miko scowled as she crossed her arms, situated on Cinder's shoulder while Blackbeak hung over Cinder's other shoulder._

 _"Very well." Optimus said. "Bumblebee, will you accompany Bulkhead to retrieve Wheeljack and Arcee?"_

 _"I doubt Arcee's going to be hurt, but sure." 'Bee shrugged._

 _Smokescreen kicked the floor, and Jack heard him mutter, "I never get to do anything."_

 _Due to standing right next to the yellow and blue bot, Jack leaned down and nudged him gently on the shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up, you looked very heroic falling on your face." Smokescreen scowled at him, but Jack smiled to soften the words and Smokescreen's face started turning an odd shade of blue as he looked away quickly._

Huh, that was kind of strange. _Jack tried to apologize, but Smokescreen quickly ducked away and out of the room. Jack glared at Miko as she snickered._

Jack leaned against the wall as he sat on the floor, with Blackbeak lying against his leg. For safety reasons, Dr. Keen had taken a seat up on the catwalk. He watched her scribbling something down. "Are you listening?" he said teasingly.

Dr. Keen chuckled. "Yes, of course I am. It sounds like you had quite an adventure."

 _That's one way of putting it,_ Jack thought. He had only told the woman the bare minimum of his time on Cybertron, staying far away from things Shockwave related or anything to do with Skystalker. He would tell her…eventually, but for now he just wanted to talk about the happier things. Or, well, 'happier thing's.

Though Fowler would highly object entirely to even that description, given he was currently yelling at Cindersaur and Miko for acting out Jurassic Park. Ultra Magnus had tried to corral them, but his attention had quickly been taken with the other government officials. Jack wasn't quite sure who he pitied in that situation.

More quietly, Jack could hear just outside his mother talking to Grimwing. Given when they'd arrived back and Jack got an earful from his mother for being so reckless and taking off. Jack had glared at Miko for getting off scott-free, but he couldn't stop the grin from forming when June said her parents were on their way. It had been worth seeing the shock on her face.

It didn't quite get the look Jack remembered seeing on Arcee's face out of his mind though. The blue femme hadn't looked happy when she came back from the apparent underground city. She'd waved it off as nothing, but Jack had been unsure in doing so. _There's still time ask_. Hopefully there would be, and they weren't going to get shut out.

"There's still so much going on, it's really hard to keep everything straight." Jack said. "I can't really stop myself from worrying about it. Before it was just my human life, and then it was Autobot things. Now it's how the government is supposed to keep a group of robots from being seen."

"One thing at a time." Dr. Keen said gently. "It's dangerous to do too much, or you'll burn yourself out." She tapped her chin. "As for your visibility thing; I take it your Cybertronian friends would be kept from leaving the base until they can understand the severity of being seen. Just for now I suppose."

"Hmm. It really wouldn't be a good thing for Cinder to accidently burn something down." Jack agreed, but he wondered if her control was more ingrained than having to learn control, like Jack still did with his EMP howl. Cinder hadn't been created like Jack, and his not-stomach churned as Shockwave invaded his thoughts. _He screwed with all their heads, not just their CNA. Predaking had been a prototype, Grimwing, Cinder and Blackbeak were supposed to be an upgrade but they still had their freewill._

It honestly terrified Jack what Shockwave's next 'upgrade' would be.

Jack shook his head to try and rid himself of the thought. Dr. Keen was right; for now he only needed to focus on Earth things.

Hopefully in time everything could be solved.

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, really, it's the epilogue.**

 **I know I left some things hanging in the previous chapter, but that was by design. Those things need their own arc, and the careful development for the payoff.**

 **I would like to thank the readers who have followed this story, and I hope I can bring the third installment soon. Just got to plan a few more things out.**


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